entry smap 296: black winged stilt

i was very happy to find these black-winged stilts Himantopus himantopus at the side of Man Sagar Lake in the Aravalli Mountains outside the city of Jaipur, Rajasthan. we had stopped on the road to see the famous Jal Mahal Palace which is located in the middle of the lake. the pink sandstone palace is a sight to behold for sure but my eyes soon turned to the birds in the grass by the water's edge. unfortunately they were standing near some trash that thoughtless visitors had left behind- an all too often occurrence most places in India.

anyway, this was the first time spotting these striking black and white waders with the tall pink legs, the common name is aptly descriptive, with their black wings and stilt-like legs. though not exactly common the have a range over much of Asia, Africa and Europe with some confusing subspecies. one need not be so concerned about their exact taxonomy but there is considerable variation even within the subspecies. the most visible difference is the coloration of the neck and head. some having gray to black patterns on the back of the neck and top of the head. others have all white heads . but they all have long black bills that with just a slight upward curve. these very handsome fine feathered friends deserve a cleaner environment.