| Photo Information |
Copyright: jim stevens (jimbob)
![Silver Note Writer [C: 1 W: 0 N: 118]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/n-n-s.gif) (409) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2006-04-17 |
| Categories: Birds |
| Camera: Canon PowerShot S2 IS |
| Exposure: f/4, 1/800 seconds |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2006-11-10 19:19 |
| Viewed: 916 |
| Points: 2 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
The stilt occurs on river–beds, shores of lakes and lagoons, or on marshy margins of estuaries. It breeds in all these places, the nest never being situated at any great distance from water. When the birds breed on shingle or stony ground, the nests exhibit a considerable variation in the amount of building material that they contain. Sometimes only a few twigs or rootlets are added to a shallow depression scraped among the stones — scarcely sufficient, indeed, to form a ring around the eggs which lie on the bare ground within; at other times, quite a lot of material is gathered and laid down,, so that the eggs are supported on it. When the nest is placed in swamps, however, it is usually of much more solid construction, being composed of bits of grass, rushes, or waterweed, together with tufts of the roots of swamp grasses; the whole being from four to six inches high, and having a shallow cavity at its apex for the eggs. Yet occasionally on wet ground I have found nests so skimpy that the eggs rested on mud beneath, and were sometimes thickly daubed with it.
“Stilts are gregarious birds, even during the nesting season, and it is usual to find several nests togther if the locality offers a sufficient food supply; while in very favourable situations I have seen colonies numbering a hundred pairs or more.
“The food of stilts consists of insects and their larvae, worms and small shellfish, which the birds obtain by wading, often knee deep in water.
“Stilts begin mating in August and are very noisy at this time, yapping even in the intervals of their feeding. They make a great fuss if anyone goes near their nest, flying to a height, and then dashing straight at the intruder, and giving a harsh cry as they pass close overhead and turn upwards again. Intimidation failing, they try to divert attention to themselves by simulating injury, shamming broken broken legs or wings in a most realistic manner.
“The young when hatched are covered with down, the upperparts being yellowish fawn, freely spotted with black, while the front of the neck and the under parts are almost white, and devoid of any markings. These young walk about on their long thin legs with a very dainty air, yet giving also the impression of great assurance. When danger threatens they squat close to the ground, remaining motionless, and are very difficult to detect, particularly if among stones; though they also have a wonderful faculty for hiding themselves in short grass.”
http://www.nzbirds.com/birds/poaka.html |
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![Silver Star Critiquer [C: 45 W: 7 N: 31]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-n-n.gif){kind=small}
