Summer Shorebird Species Spotlight - Part 2

Black-necked Stilts On the Move

Black-necked Stilt Chicks Explore the Salt Pond

Returning to our Black-necked Stilt family, we find the three chicks taking their first walk together in the pond. Stilt chicks are precocial and leave the nest within one to two hours of hatching. They feed on brine shrimp, brine flies, and terrestrial insects.

“Precocial" and "altricial," two words describing the degree of development in young birds at hatching, are good examples of useful scientific jargon. They save ornithologists from repeatedly using phrases when single words will do. A precocial bird is "capable of moving around on its own soon after hatching." The word comes from the same Latin root as "precocious." Altricial means "incapable of moving around on its own soon after hatchling." It comes from a Latin root meaning "to nourish" a reference to the need for extensive parental care required before fledging in altricial species.”

The initial steps are quite wobbly due to their very long legs. They remind me of Weebles with legs. (Okay I’m dating myself!)

Meanwhile, Mom is back at the nest waiting for the fourth egg to hatch and Dad is supervising group outings.

Four Black-necked Stilt chicks

Once all four chicks become mobile, they spend their time together under the watchful eye of their parents. If you thought they were vocal protecting the nest, wait until you see them defend the chicks!

Black-necked Stilts With Four Recently Hatched Chicks

While both parents guard their movements, Dad plays a slightly larger role at this stage.

Male Black-necked Stilt Sheltering Chicks

With sweltering temps on Anguilla’s salt ponds, Dad provides cover. If a predator arrives, the call of the adult will force the chicks to flatten on the ground.

Black-necked Stilt Chick Feeding at Edge of Pond

Both parents brood the chicks for the first week, especially in the early morning. By week three, the chicks are more independent.

It is during these periods that the chicks are most vulnerable to predators. While most raptors are not present on Anguilla during the breeding period, feral cats, unleashed dogs, and humans are threats.

Black-necked Stilt Chicks Molting

Over the next thirty days, the Stilt chicks will transform as they molt into adult plumage. They will forage over a wider range but maintain the family group.

Juvenile Black-necked Stilts

At 22 to 23 days, they are capable of short flights.

“Sustained flight occurs 27–31 d post-hatching.” They also begin to develop the pink/red leg color that defines their species.

Because our Black-necked Stilts do not migrate here, families remain loosely bonded once they are independent.

In this companion reel, you will see a few moments of the chicks and parents on our wetlands.

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The difference between Precocial and altricial.

Precociality and altriciality

Citation

Robinson, J. A., J. M. Reed, J. P. Skorupa, and L. W. Oring (2020).Black-necked Stilt(Himantopus mexicanus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA.https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.bknsti.01

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-necked_Stilt/lifehistory