By: Dawn Wilson

The featured animal for this week is the black-necked stilt. Although I have yet to see one during a spring migration in Estes Valley, I have seen this slender, long-legged bird in North Park and in Greeley during the summer nesting season so a stopover in shallow bodies of water in Estes Park is quite feasible. Here are five more facts about this elegant shorebird.

1. Black-necked stilts have the second-longest legs in proportion to their bodies of any bird. The longest are flamingos.

2. The term “stilt” refers to the long legs of this large shorebird, similar to the wooden stilts used by people to reach a higher elevation.

3. The long, pink or red legs of the stilt allows the bird to wade in shallow water to search for food.

4. Black-necked stilts have partially webbed toes to help them swim into deeper water to hunt for aquatic invertebrates and insects.

5. This tall black and white bird builds shallow nests on the ground near water.

Dawn Wilson is a professional and award-winning nature photographer who lives in Estes Park year-round. You can see more of her work, join one of her Rocky tours, and purchase prints at DawnWilsonPhotography.com or follow her on Instagram: @dawnwilsonphoto.