Himantopus himantopus
< Rare and Endangered Animals of Armenia
The Black-winged Stilt
File:200px-Black-winged-Stilt-204.jpg File:180px-Black-necked Stilt.jpg The Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus, is a large wader in the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae.
Adults have long pink legs, a long thin black bill and are mainly white with a dark cap and a dark back. The taxonomy of this bird is still somewhat contentious: some sources believe that there are as many as five distinct species; others consider some or all of these to be subspecies. The North American variant, the Black-necked Stilt, has a dark back as well with a white spot over the eye. It is recorded as Himantopus mexicanus in the Sibley-Munroe checklist.
Their breeding habitat is marshes, shallow lakes and ponds. They are found in southern and southeastern Europe, central Asia, northern Africa, Australia, Central and South America, Hawaii, the Philippines, south central Canada and the western and southeastern United States. They may stray well outside these areas.
The nest site is a bare spot on the ground near water. These birds often nest in small groups, sometimes with avocets.
The North American Black-necked Stilt.They are migratory and move to the ocean coasts in winter.
These birds pick up their food from sand or water. They mainly eat insects and crustaceans.
In Hawaii, the Hawaiian Stilt or ae`o is endangered due to habitat loss. This bird is considered by some to be a subspecies of the Black-necked Stilt and by others to be a distinct species.
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Animal in Armenia
Կտցար–ոտնացուպիկ (“Kt’tsar-votnatsupik”)
Status
Rare species. Included in the Red Book of the former Soviet Union.
Habitat in Armenia
Registered in the valley of Arax and around Lake Sevan.
Number in the wild
2 – 4 species a year met in the above mentioned places.
Reasons for decrease in number
Was always a rare bird in Armenia.
Number in captivity
No data.
Measures of protection taken
Hunting is forbidden in the territory of Armenia.