These long-legged waders were abundant and conspicuous in a variety of wetland habitats. This individual has its legs tucked as it rests on the ground. I believe this is a female in non-breeding plumage. Males are blacker on the back. Also females have slightly longer, more upturned bills than males. Taxonomy and geographic variation controversial. H&M and HBW lump this bird with the Black-necked Stilt of the Americas, the White-backed Stilt of South America and the White-headed (or Pied) Stilt of Australasia. However, Clements and the IOC split the entire assemblage into four species. If we follow the lumpers, this bird is nominate H. h. himantopus which has a mostly white head and neck, and ranges from the Mediterranean and Africa to China and Southeast Asia. If we follow the splitters, then this species is monotypic. Digiscoped with Panasonic DMC-LX5 | Nikon FieldScope III | 30XWA | hand-held (no adapter)
References:
Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015.
Dickinson, E.C., J.V. Remsen Jr. & L. Christidis (Eds). 2013-2014. The Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. 4th. Edition, Vol. 1, 2, Aves Press, Eastbourne, U.K.
Gill, F & D Donsker (Eds). 2016. IOC World Bird List (v 6.2)
Pierce, R.J., Kirwan, G.M. & Boesman, P. (2016). Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.