Now, children, there’s nothing to be afraid of. Your mum and I chose this little mudflat for our nest specifically to protect you from nasty predators, so you’re perfectly safe. Even if, by chance, something unpleasant shows up, don’t worry—we have a plan. Your mum and I will distract them by pretending to be hurt, luring them away from you. Once they’re far enough away from you, we’ll fly off safely! Trust me, it works every time. Take a look around—see all the other little mudflats like ours? They're full of other Stilt families, along with families of different birds. This is called a colony, and here’s the amazing thing: if anyone spots a predator, the whole colony sounds the alarm, very noisily, so everyone is warned. That’s why you’re even safer here!

Safety in numbers! That’s one of the reasons our Stilt population thrives, and we’re nowhere near being on any endangered species list. Now, about the water—have you noticed how long your legs are? They’re perfect for wading along the shore to look for tasty treats like shrimp, worms, insects, tadpoles, and more. When you’re a little bigger, you can even go after fish! Your long legs also let you venture out deeper than other wading birds, giving you access to even more delicious morsels. And here’s the cool part: you can swim too! Not all wading birds can do that, so deeper water is no problem for you at all.

Wilpattu National Park with its many lakes, or Willus as they are locally known, is a fantastic place for bird watching. Whilst staying at the Mahoora Tented Safari Camp in Wilpattu, Dilum was out on a morning safari when he spotted a Black-winged Stilt family stepping out for a walk.