Blackwinged Stilt

The Blackwinged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus, is a lovely elegant bird often seen in marshes or other bodies of water.  They have extremely long legs for their size (hence the name 'stilt') which they use to wade into the water.  They also have very slender straight bills with which to pick up small insects and other water critters.  They often occur in small flocks.  The species is very widespread, occurring in Africa, Europe and much of Asia.  Other species (or subspecies) replace them in the far East and Australia, New Zealand and the Americas.  Pencil drawing, tweaked and coloured with Photoshop.