Pied Stilt x Black Stilt

Pied Stilt x Black Stilt hybrid, Ashley River Mouth (Canterbury, New Zealand), on or before 13th January 2008 - copyright Ian McHenry

(photo ID: 2086)

New Zealand's Black Stilt, or Kaki, has the dubious honour of being one of the world's most threatened shorebirds - critically endangered with a population that has dipped to as low as 23 individuals.  Predation from introduced mammals and habitat loss (including as a result of hyrdo-electric schemes) are among its threats but a further threat is hybridisation with the more common Pied Stilt.  Pied Stilt, or White-headed Stilt, is the Australasian counterpart of the Black-winged Stilt that's widespread across Eurasia and Africa and the Black-necked Stilt of the Americas.

Hybrids typically show a black band across the breast, as shown in all of the photos presented here.

Pied Stilt x Black Stilt hybrid, Ashley River Mouth (Canterbury, New Zealand), on or before 24th November 2006 - copyright Ian McHenry

(photo ID: 2081)

Pied Stilt x Black Stilt hybrid, Christchurch (Canterbury, New Zealand), on or before 28th December 2007 - copyright Ian McHenry

(photo IDs: 2082-2084)

Pied Stilt x Black Stilt hybrid (with Pied Stilt), Ashley River Mouth (Canterbury, New Zealand), on or before 12th January 2008 - copyright Ian McHenry

(photo ID: 2085)

Pied Stilt x Black Stilt hybrid, Ashley River Mouth (Canterbury, New Zealand), on or before 16th December 2011 - copyright Ian McHenry

(photo IDs: 2087-2088)

Pied Stilt x Black Stilt hybrid (with Pied Stilt), Ashley River Mouth (Canterbury, New Zealand), on or before 17th December 2011 - copyright Ian McHenry

(photo IDs: 2089-2090)

Pied Stilt x Black Stilt hybrid, Miranda (New Zealand), 11th February 2017 - copyright John Oates

(photo ID: 3129)

Pied Stilt x Black Stilt hybrid, Ashley River Mouth (New Zealand), 18th February 2017 - copyright John Oates

(photo ID: 3172)

Pied Stilt Himantopus leucocephalus
Black Stilt Himantopus novaezelandiae