Black-winged Stilt

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Black-winged Stilt in the UK

Black-winged Stilt was long a rare visitor to Britain and is now treated as a colonising breeder. A handful of pairs attempt to nest in most years, mostly in southern England. The first breeding was in Nottinghamshire in 1945. Attempts were only occasional until 2014 and have been close to annual since. In 2017, 13 young fledged from reserves in Kent, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, more than from all nesting attempts in the previous three decades combined. Two pairs fledged six chicks at Frampton Marsh, Lincolnshire, in 2023. It is Amber-listed.

Where and when to see a Black-winged Stilt

Late April to June. Check shallow, muddy-edged lagoons and flooded scrapes on wetland reserves in southern and eastern England. Reserves that have hosted nesting pairs include RSPB Cliffe Pools, the Ouse Washes, Potter Heigham Marshes and RSPB Frampton Marsh. Birds feed in the open and are easy to pick out from a hide. Nesting pairs are usually wardened, so follow any viewing arrangements on site. Arrivals are reported quickly on the bird news services.

Habitat, diet and field notes

Habitat: Shallow freshwater marshes.
Diet: Aquatic insects.
Field note: Long pink legs, picks at surface.

How to identify a Black-winged Stilt

A slim black and white wader on very long pink legs, which look out of proportion to the rest of the bird. The body is smaller and slighter than an Avocet's. The bill is straight, black and needle-fine. Wings and back are black in males and browner in females; the rest is white, with a variable amount of dark on the crown and hindneck. Juveniles are brownish and scaly above with duller legs. In flight the wings are all dark, a white wedge runs up the back and the legs trail far beyond the tail.

Call and song

Noisy near the nest: a sharp, repeated 'kek-kek-kek' or a yelping 'kyip', kept up as the bird flies around an intruder. Passage birds are quieter. Heard something you cannot place? Bird Hear identifies UK birds from a 10 second recording, free in your browser.

Confusion species

• Pied Avocet: Avocet has an upturned bill, blue-grey legs and white in the wings; Stilt has a straight bill, pink legs and all-dark wings.
• Eurasian Oystercatcher: Oystercatcher is also black and white with pink legs but is stocky and short-legged with a thick orange bill.

Related guide Bird migration in Britain.

Conservation status and Birdedex points

In the Birdedex the Black-winged Stilt is a Rare tier bird, worth +8 points when you log one. It is not on the Red or Amber lists in Birds of Conservation Concern 5. It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, so it is an offence to disturb it at or near the nest. We blur the location of every sighting of this species.

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• GarganeyRare · Shallow marshes (summer)
• Blue-winged TealEpic · Shallow pools
• Northern ShovelerUncommon · Marshes
• Whiskered TernEpic · Inland freshwater marshes
• Water PipitRare · Watercress beds
• Citrine WagtailRare · Marshes (rare passage)

Black-winged Stilt: quick answers

Has a Black-winged Stilt ever been seen in the UK?

Yes. The first was recorded in 1684 and birds now arrive every spring. Numbers vary from year to year: a few in a poor spring, small flocks in a good one. Some pairs stay to nest.

Where can I see a Black-winged Stilt in the UK?

There is no site that has them every year. Your best chance is to watch the bird news in late April and May and visit a wetland reserve in the south or east of England where birds have settled. Pairs that nest often stay for weeks.

What does a Black-winged Stilt eat?

Water insects and their larvae, small crustaceans and other small animals, picked from the surface or just below it. The long legs let it wade and feed in deeper water than most waders of its size.

Kit that helps

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