Sunrise Illuminates Black-necked Stilt

Wading in the shallow water on Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, a Black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) searches for food. The soft light of the morning sunrise gives a peaceful feel to the scene. Black-necked stilts spend a good portion of their day wading in shallow water to eat aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, tiny crustaceans, small fish and snails. They eat larval mosquitoes, dragonflies, mayflies, grasshoppers, a variety of beetles and also crickets.

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