Stilts & Lapwings

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Sri Lanka Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus ceylonensis) - This wader has extremely long red legs and a long, fine and straight black bill. The white head and body are in sharp contrast to the black wings. It walks carefully, lifting its legs clear out of the water, It eats any small aquatic animals - insects, molluscs, crustaceans and worms. Mainly lives in the dry zone, but now known to visit the wet zone. (1,2)

Sri Lanka Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus ceylonensis) - Male has caught a small mollusc.

Sri Lanka Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus ceylonensis) - When on land the red legs appear even longer.

Sri Lanka Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus ceylonensis) - The green grass emphasises the red legs at sunset.

Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) This wary bird has a long down-curving bill and is a winter visitor to lowlands.on Land 1

Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) This wary bird has a long down-curving bill and is able to fly fast with slow wingflaps, in a V formation. (1)

Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) Feeds by feeding on pasture and probing deep into the mud.

Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata) Feeds on its own or in flocks, including with other wading bird species. It has a rolling winter call of cur-lee and a repeated coo-lit. (1)

Two Black- winged Stilts standing on one leg.

Pair of Black-winged Stilts, with one dipping its entire head under the water.

Yellow-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus malabaricus) - A clear view of how the wattles of the Yellow-wattled Lapwing lie along the sides of the throat. (1,2)

Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus) - The distinctive red wattles and beak, the black, white and brown coloured feathers, combined with the long, yellow legs can only be one bird. Although it has long legs and lives near water, it catches invertebrates mainly on land with its short beak. (1,2) Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel, Galle.

Yellow-wattled Lapwings (Vanellus malabaricus) - Smaller than the Red-wattled Lapwing. No other bird in Sri Lanka has the yellow wattles either side of the throat. This pair are in the Dry Zone Botanical Garden near Hambantota. (1,2

Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus) - Incubating and cooling 4 eggs on the grass roof above the reception of the Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel, Galle. As you can tell from the small shadow, the sun was directly overhead and this parent was trying to keep the eggs cool.

Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus) - This Red-wattled Lapwing is, unusually, wading in the pond and feeding or drinking.

Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus) - The distinctive red wattles and beak, the black, white and brown coloured feathers, combined with the long, yellow legs can only be one bird. Although it has long legs and lives near water, it catches invertebrates mainly on land with its short beak. (1,2) Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel, Galle.

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypolucos) on grassy bank next to a wewa. (1)

Common Sandpiper sroosting on a dead tree, Gin Ganga near Galle Fort, Southern Sri Lanka.

Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) takes to the air.

Common Redshank ready to strike.

Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) with orange-red legs and an orange bill with a dark tip in Bundala National Park.

Common Redshank ready to strike.

Sri Lanka Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus ceylonensis) - Standing on one leg. The red eye jumps out of this picture.

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Sri Lanka Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus ceylonensis)

Sri Lanka Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus ceylonensis)

Sri Lanka Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus ceylonensis)

Sri Lanka Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus ceylonensis)

Sri Lanka Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus ceylonensis)

Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus)

Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus)

Yellow-wattled Lapwings (Vanellus malabaricus)

Sri Lanka Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus ceylonensis)

A pair of Sri Lanka Black-winged Stilts (Himantopus himantopus ceylonensis)

Sri Lanka Black-winged Stilts (Himantopus himantopus ceylonensis)

Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus)

Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus)

Yellow-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus malabaricus)

Sri Lanka. So much more than you can see in a lifetime.

Bird References
1. Harrison J. A Field Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka, 2nd edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2011.
2. Henry G.M. A Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka, 3rd edn. Colombo: Oxford University Press; 1998.