Common name: Black-winged Stilt
Scientific name: Himantopus himantopus
Family: Recurvirostridae

Size:
Body length: 33–36 cm
Wingspan: 67–83 cm
Weight: 150–200 g

Identification:
A very distinctive wader with extremely long, thin pinkish-red legs and a slender black bill. The plumage is sharply contrasted, with black upperparts (back and wings) and clean white underparts. The head is white, sometimes with a dark cap in males. Its elegant proportions and long legs make it unmistakable, especially when wading in shallow water.

Habitat:
Wetlands, shallow lakes, lagoons, salt pans, and marshes. Frequently found in both natural and man-made water bodies.

Status in the UAE:
Common resident and breeding species. Widely distributed across wetlands, including coastal lagoons and inland lakes such as Al Qudra.

Diet:
Carnivorous — feeds on aquatic invertebrates, small fish, crustaceans, and insects, picking prey from the water surface or shallow mud.

Behavior:
Highly social and often seen in groups or loose colonies. Actively wades in shallow water while foraging. During breeding season, becomes territorial and defensive, often giving alarm calls and mobbing intruders. Flight is light and graceful.

Conservation status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)