The Black-necked Stilt 



No. 233 



Black-necked Stilt 



A. 0. U. No. 226. Himantopus mexicanus (Miiller). 



Description. — Adult male in breeding plumage: Black-and-white. Under- 

 parts, including axillars (but not lining of wings), face nearly to eye, forehead, a blotch 

 below and behind eye, sides of cervix (invading black), lateral and upper tail-coverts, 

 and rump, white, suffused on throat and breast in varying proportions by dull pinkish 

 (pale vinaceous buff); tail pale gray, brownish gray, or dusky; remaining upperparts, 

 including lining of wings, lustrous black with greenish reflections. Bill, bent slightly 

 upwards at middle, black; iris carmine; feet and legs bright red (drying yellowish), 

 nails black. Adult male at other seasons: Without pink flush of underparts. Adult 

 female: Similar to adult male, but without pinkish flush, and black of back and 

 scapulars replaced by sooty brown. Immature: Like adult female, but black of back, 

 etc., bordered, and that of head and neck finely mottled, with dull whitish or buff. 

 Downy young are mottled ochraceous buff and black above, clearer buffy below. 

 Measurements: length about 381 (15.00); wing (av. of 10 Berkeley specimens) 228.8 

 (9.01); bill 64.9 (2.555); tarsus 109.3 (4-3°); exposed portion of tibia 70.5 (2.775). 

 The total length of the legs, the "stilts" proper, represented in a series of 16 skins, 

 is very variable, 160-250 (6.30-9.85) (exposed portion, including outstretched toes), 

 the females inclining to the smaller and the males to the larger of these dimensions. 



Recognition Marks. — Tern size, but appearing larger; long legs and black-and- 

 white coloration distinctive. 



Nesting. — Nest: A simple platform of weathered weed-stalks and grasses, 

 on ground near marsh, or else a pyramid of such materials built up out of shallow water. 

 Eggs: 4, 5 of record; dark olive-buff, with a yellowish or greenish tinge, boldly spotted 

 or vermiculated and blotched with black and, rarely, a little sepia. Av. of 48 eggs 

 (including 4 sets of 5 from Los Banos) in the M. C. 0. coll.: 42.9 x 30.5 (1.69 x 1.20); 

 index 71. The longest egg measuring 44.96 (1.77) is .51mm (.02) shorter than the 

 shortest Avocet egg (see under Avocet) ; so that these two eggs are almost certainly 

 distinguishable under any circumstance. 



General Range. — Warm temperature North America, Middle and South 

 America, to Amazonia and Peru. Breeds in suitable localities nearly throughout 

 its present range. Breeds from central Oregon, southern Idaho, and southern Colo- 

 rado, southward; also from the coast of South Carolina southward through Georgia, 

 Florida, and the West Indies. Formerly bred north to New Jersey. Winters from 

 southern Lower California, southern Texas, Louisiana and Florida southward. 



Distribution in California. — Common summer resident in interior sections, 

 especially the San Joaquin-Sacramento Valley, and in the Modoc district. Also 

 breeds in interior sections of the San Diegan district; formerly in brackish coastwise 

 marshes, — Oceanside, Nigger Slough, the Estero (Santa Barbara), etc. Occurs more 

 widely during migrations, appearing coastwise north to Marin County. 



Authorities. — Gambel (Himantopus nigricollis) , Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 

 ser. 2, i., 1849, p. 224 (Santa Barbara); Coues, Birds of the Northwest, 1874, p. 462 

 (syn., desc, habits, etc.); Tyler, Pac. Coast Avifauna, no. 9, 1913, p. 25 (San Joaquin 

 Valley; habits). 



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