ABOUT
About Black-winged Stilt
About 37-40 cm long, a shorebird with extremely long, reddish legs and a thin black bill. The body is white with black wings and back; males show more black extending to the back of the head, while females are paler. It feeds on aquatic insects, crustaceans, shellfish, and small fish. In Japan it was first confirmed breeding at reclaimed land in Aichi Prefecture in 1975 and has since become locally established in parts of Honshu, but in the Nansei Islands it occurs mainly as a passage migrant and winter visitor. Within Kagoshima Prefecture it has been recorded on Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima, and Nakanoshima in the Tokara Islands, and breeding was confirmed on nearby Okinoerabujima in 2009, though there are few records of breeding on Amami Oshima itself, or of exactly when it arrives there. It favors shallow water such as tidal flats, rice paddies, and fallow fields. It was previously classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the Ministry of the Environment Red List but is now listed as Data Deficient (DD).
SAFETY
Observation Safety Notes
Please enjoy Amami's wildlife through photographs. Some species are protected by law or local ordinance, and capturing or removing them is prohibited. In special protection zones within the national park, collecting any wildlife is prohibited entirely. Please check the notes on this page, and confirm local rules before visiting any site.
Wild birds aren't something to catch and take home — they're best enjoyed by observing and photographing them without disturbing them. Keep a good distance, and avoid using playback calls or food to lure them in. Parent birds and chicks are especially sensitive while nesting or breeding; approaching too closely or making noise can cause the nest to be abandoned or the chicks to fail to fledge successfully. Avoid flash or strong lights when photographing at night, and don't share information online that could reveal a nest's exact location.
