﻿FOOD OF AMERICAN PHALAEOPES, AVOCETS, AND STILTS 17 



ground, their long, red legs hanging straight down. The dead black 

 of the upperparts with its greenish sheen and the pure white of the 

 breast form a pleasing contrast of color, which, with the greatly 

 elongated legs, serves to distinguish the stilt from any other of our 

 shorebirds. 



The nests and eggs of stilts are very similar to those of the avocet, 

 and the young when first hatched closely resemble young avocets, 

 but may be distinguished by the lack of a hind toe. The young 

 grow rapidly, and the increase in the length of their legs is amazing. 

 Until the bones are well formed the young, when not feeding, prefer 

 to rest with the full length of the tarsus extended on the ground, 

 but even then appear as tall as other shorebirds of similar body size. 



Stilts show considerable attachment for their young, and, unless 

 dispersed by some untoward accident, frequently remain in family 

 groups long after the young are able to care for themselves. As 

 the latter become strong on the wing the family parties range over tne 

 country in search of suitable feeding grounds. As the nights grow 

 cold in the North the birds band together in larger flocks and finally, 

 on some moonlit night in September, young and old may be heard 

 calling as they pass overhead on their southward migration. 



vStilts feed by picking up insects on muddy shores or in shallow 

 water, and though not averse to frequenting alkaline areas, on the 

 whole prefer freshei water than do avocets. For detailed analysis, 

 80 stomachs of the black-necked stilt were available, distributed 

 from March to August, and collected in California, Utah, Florida, 

 and Porto Rico, \egetable food in these amounted to only 1,1 per 

 cent, whereas the animal matter formed 98.9 per cent. The birds 

 are adept in seizing rapidly-moving prey and in general aie very 

 methodical in their manner of obtaining food. Gravel is picked up 

 to some extent to aid digestion, and part of the seeds taken may have 

 been swallo\\^ed for the same purpose. 



ANIMAL FOOD 



The animal food of the black-necked stilt shows more diversity 

 than in the case of preceding species, though some of the items taken 

 are present in comparatively small quantity. 



Crustacea. — Crustaceans constitute 0.5 per cent of the total food 

 and were identified in stomachs collected in March and April. In 

 eight remains of crawfishes were found, an important item, as these 

 animals are highly destructive to crops in some localities. 



Odonata. — Nymphs of dragonflies make up 2.9 per cent and were 

 eaten by nine birds, mainly in April and July. 



TricJioptera. — Cases of caddisflies with their occupants were found 

 abundantly in stomachs taken in March and April and amount to 

 3.3 per cent of the entire food. In many instances the cases had 

 been attached to submerged vegetation, part of which had come away 

 when the container was torn loose and had been swallowed with the 

 larvse. 



Agnatha. — Mayfly nymplis, a number of which were taken during 

 April, were identified in five stomachs (1.3 per cent). 



IJeteroptera. — Aquatic bugs with a few others were eaten in large 



fjuantJtics and amount to 35 per cent, the largest single item in the 

 ()<)(\ of the stilt. They were tound regularly in all months for which 

 material was available. Water-boatmen (CorixidaO, encountered 



