Occasionally, guests are able to encounter and view the endangered Hawaiian Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni) during a tour. Additionally, guests can observe this bird while enjoying a delicious shrimp lunch, included on several of our tours. The tours that include lunch are: Ultimate Circle Island tour, North Shore and Circle Island Tour and North Shore Birding Adventure.
The sighting of a Hawaiian Black-necked Stilt is exciting and special because there aren’t many found in nature. Only a small population of this unique, endemic subspecies of the North and South American Black-necked Stilt remains in the islands.
Nevertheless, the population of stilts began to increase to earlier levels after hunting was prohibited in the 1940’s. Today 1,200-2,000 birds exist in the Hawaiian Islands. They differ from their mainland counterparts by having more black on their face and neck, and a longer bill, tarsus, and tail.
The subspecies name of this stilt is in honor of Valdemar Knudsen. He was an early collector of birds in the Hawaiian Islands including the type specimen of the Hawaiian Black-necked Stilt.
(Citation: Pyle, R.L., and P. Pyle, 2017. The Birds of the Hawaiian Islands: Occurrence, History, Distribution, and Status. B.P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu, HI, U.S.A. Version 2 [1 January 2017])