Black-Necked Stilt  Black-Necked Stilt    COMMON NAME: black-
necked stilt KINGDOM: Animalia PHYLUM: Chordata ORDER:
Charadriiformes FAMILY: Recurvirostridae (backward curved beak)
GENUS SPECIES: Himantopus (strap-legged - in reference to the
slender lower leg) mexicanus (of Mexico)   DESCRIPTION: The
black-necked stilt is a black and white shorebird with darker
colored dorsal feathers, a long neck and a thin, straight, black
bill. The legs are long and red or pink. MALE The male has
glossy black feathers and a white spot above each eye. FEMALE
The female has dark, brown dorsal feathers. SIZE: Averages 36 cm
(14 in.) MALE Up to 45 cm (18 in.) WEIGHT: No data DIET:
Includes brine flies, crayfish, brine shrimp, snails, few fish,
tadpoles, and some seeds INCUBATION: 30-33 days CLUTCH SIZE 3-4
eggs LIFE SPAN: Averages 5 years RANGE: Found throughout
southern and western U.S. and south to Peru HABITAT: Inhabits
mud flats, pools and grassy marshes; also both fresh and
alkaline shallow lakes STATUS: IUCN Hawaiian sub