Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this web-site were taken by Paul Smith, Hemme Batjes, Regis Nossent,
Alberto Esquivel, Arne Lesterhuis, José Luis Cartes, Rebecca Zarza and Hugo del Castillo and are used with their permission.
RECURVIROSTRIDAE - STILTS
A single member of this globally-distributed family of waterbirds, occurs in Paraguay. The taxonomy of the family is disputed. It is frequently included as a subfamily within the Scolopacidae and species limits are far from clear. The "pied stilts" have been split into as many as 8 species, with the form occurring in Paraguay and southern South America sometimes considered specifically distinct as Himantopus melanurus. However there is a notable lack of published data to support such a split and until it is forthcoming we consider the American branch of the "pied stilt" complex to be conspecific under the name H.mexicanus. Stilts have a long neck, a small, rounded head, a long, needle-like bill and extremely long legs with reticulated tarsus, proportionately the longest of any bird family except the flamingos. Webbing is slight and the hallux is absent. The middle toe is joined to the outer toe with a broad web and to the inner with a smaller web. Stilts are capable of swimming but do so rarely, preferring to wade. Wings are long and pointed, they fly with the legs trailing behind the short, square tail and neck extended presenting an elongated flight silhouette. Breeding is colonial.
REFERENCES
Campbell B & Lack E 1985 - A Dictionary of Birds - T & AD Poyser.
Hayman P, Marchant J & Prater T 1986 - Shorebirds: An Identification Guide to the Waders of the World - Helm.
Johnsgard PA 1981 - The Plovers, Sandpipers and Snipes of the World - Nebraska University Press.
