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;

 

1997: (1)

One was seen on May 17th at Oldbury Power Station in flight and heading down channel. (A Middleton)

 

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 report of this species in S. Gloucestershire.