THE BIRDS OF SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE
THE BIRDS OF SOUTH
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
BLACK-WINGED STILT - Himantopus
himantopus
As with all reports of
rare and scarce birds they are subject to ratification by the respective
rarities committees The taxonomy
of Black-winged Stilt 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
forms. Black-winged Stilts are found in southern and south-eastern Europe,
central Asia, northern Africa, Australia, Central and South America, Hawaii, the
Philippines, south central Canada and the western and south-eastern United
States.
There have been
two Black-winged Stilts reported from S. Gloucestershire, they are;
c.1848: (1)
One was seen and ‘obtained’ sometime around this time near Thornbury but no date, age or sex was mentioned. This occurrence constitutes the first record of this species in S. Gloucestershire.
1997: (1)
One was seen on May 17th at Oldbury Power Station in flight and heading down channel.