Behind the Black-Necked Stilts

If you’ve ever spent time near shallow marshes or mangroves in Florida, you’ve probably spotted these tall, thin-legged birds pacing through the water like they’re late for a meeting. The Black-Necked Stilt is hard to miss with jet-black wings, a bright white body, and long pink legs that look almost comically out of proportion. But for all their oddness, they’re some of the most graceful and efficient birds I’ve had the chance to watch.

I’ve spent hours in the field photographing them, especially at Wakodahatchee Wetlands, one of my favorite places to observe wildlife up close. I’m always drawn to their posture—the way they move slowly and deliberately, then suddenly dart forward with quick energy.

They nest in exposed spots on the ground with both parents taking turns guarding the nest and feeding the young. If you get too close, they're quick to let you know with a loud, sharp call as they circle overhead and give you an earful. Stilts forage by picking insects, crustaceans, snails, and other invertebrates off the water's surface or mudflats, playing a vital role in the wetland ecosystem.

Those hours in the field eventually made their way into the studio. The two sculptures you see here—Standing Stilt and Feeding Stilt—are part of my modern collection. Most of my work is very anatomical, with every feather placed and every contour exact. But with the stilts, I took a more modern, minimalist approach. I left out the feather texture, kept the forms smooth, and let the attitude and movement do the talking. The natural minimalism of the birds themselves lent itself to that clean, stylized look, and I knew I’d made the right choice.

These birds aren’t rare, but they are special. They’re part of the rhythm of Florida’s wetlands. And like so many species, they remind us that if we want to keep seeing wildlife like this, we’ve got to keep protecting the habitats they depend on.

—Geoffrey C. Smith