Poaka - pied stilt - in flight
Himantopus himantopus leucocephalus
The two rear birds in this group are displaying colour patterns that suggest they are possibly hybrids with the very rare kaki (black stilt) Himantopus novaezelandiae.
Photographed at Brooklands Lagoon, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Of the five sub species of pied stilt, leucocephalus extends from the Philippines, Indonesia, and the Bismarck Archepelago to Australia and New Zealand. Pied stilts are more generally known as black-winged stilt overseas and breed all around the world in tropical and warm temperate climates.
The call is a sharp yapping like a small dog. Found throughout New Zealand
in river–beds, shores of lakes and lagoons, and marshy margins of estuaries. It breeds in all these places, the nest never being situated at any great distance from water.
They are wading birds, feeding on insects and their larvae, worms and small shellfish in shallow water.
Size 35 cm., 190 g., black and white wader with very long pink legs and fine black bill. Varibale black on crown, nape, hindneck and collar on the lower neck, black wings and back.
Poaka - pied stilt - in flight
Himantopus himantopus leucocephalus
The two rear birds in this group are displaying colour patterns that suggest they are possibly hybrids with the very rare kaki (black stilt) Himantopus novaezelandiae.
Photographed at Brooklands Lagoon, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Of the five sub species of pied stilt, leucocephalus extends from the Philippines, Indonesia, and the Bismarck Archepelago to Australia and New Zealand. Pied stilts are more generally known as black-winged stilt overseas and breed all around the world in tropical and warm temperate climates.
The call is a sharp yapping like a small dog. Found throughout New Zealand
in river–beds, shores of lakes and lagoons, and marshy margins of estuaries. It breeds in all these places, the nest never being situated at any great distance from water.
They are wading birds, feeding on insects and their larvae, worms and small shellfish in shallow water.
Size 35 cm., 190 g., black and white wader with very long pink legs and fine black bill. Varibale black on crown, nape, hindneck and collar on the lower neck, black wings and back.