Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)

Abundance: Occasional (2 records in 2 Tennessee counties).

Status: Transient during spring (2 records); photographs (see links below).

Regional High Count: 2 (see below).

Information on Records: 

8 May 2004 (2--probable pair) Vaughn Lane, DeKalb County, Tennessee (Judy C. Fuson, Carol D. Williams photo; Fuson and Williams 2004).

29 April 2006 (1--adult female) near Bud Tanner Rd., Cumberland County, Tennessee (Joseph E. Mast photo, Anita F. Mast; Knight 2006c).

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: No registrations.

Habitat: Usually found in areas with extensive mudflats, but apparently able to use fairly small sites during migration; the first Regional record involved two stilts foraging in shallow water around the edge of a very small ( c. 0.1 hectare) farm pond located < 5 m from a secondary road (Fuson and Williams 2004), while the second record involved one stilt that stopped over at a fairly small farm pond in a largish pasture (Knight 2006c).

Remarks: Two individuals of this species were noted in Cocke County, Tennessee, on the same day as the individuals noted in 2004 (above), suggesting a minor migratory wave, possibly of birds leaving the vicinity of Florida and headed for west Tennessee, where this species is a regular breeder.

Counties with Observations (boldfaced):

To see a map (Figure 1) displaying the data in the table above, click on the boldfaced word in this sentence.

Literature Cited: