Very long pink legs beneath a small, slender body.

Black upperparts contrast sharply with white underparts.

A long, straight black bill; legs extend well beyond the tail in flight.

Long legs, small body

The stilt’s height comes largely from its very long pink legs. The head and body are comparatively small, and the black bill is thin and straight. In flight, the trailing legs extend conspicuously beyond the tail; look for black wings and the white wedge on the back. ^[1]

Subtle differences in the dark feathers

Adult males tend to look blacker above, while females may have a brownish back. Juveniles can show light edging that makes the back look faintly scalloped, along with paler pink legs. Lighting can soften all these differences, so compare several photographs before assigning age or sex. ^[1]

A simple nest near the shallows

Both partners choose and shape a shallow depression, often on a small island, raised patch, or clump of vegetation. They may line it with nearby plant material, shells, or other fragments. A clutch contains 2–5 eggs and incubation lasts about 24–29 days. ^[2]

Adults may call loudly and feign injury when protecting eggs or chicks. Treat repeated alarm or distraction displays as a reason to back away, not to search for the nest. ^[1]

Chicks find their own food

Downy young leave the nest soon after hatching. Their parents protect and tend them, but the chicks pick up their own food. They do not make their first flights until roughly 4–5 weeks old. ^[4]

A group defense

Several stilts may gather around a ground predator and jump or flap in a behavior nicknamed a popcorn display. It is a nest-defense response, not an invitation to approach. ^[3]

Cooling eggs in hot weather

An incubating adult may wet its belly feathers and return to the nest to help cool the eggs. The apparently simple nest still requires active parental care. ^[4]