Walking on Stilts: A Day at Lake Magadi, Tanzania
If you ever find yourself on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, your eyes will likely be drawn to the massive lions or the rare black rhinos. But if you look toward the shimmering, salt-crusted edges of Lake Magadi, you’ll find one of the most elegant (and slightly comedic) sights in East Africa: the Black-winged Stilt.
The "Supermodel" of the Soda Lake
The first thing you notice about the Black-winged Stilt is the contrast. Their plumage is a sharp, tuxedo-like black and white, topped off with a needle-thin beak. But then, you see the legs.
Bright pink and impossibly thin, these legs look like they shouldn’t be able to support the bird at all. In fact, stilts hold the record for the longest legs relative to body size of any bird in the world. Watching them navigate the slapping waves of Lake Magadi, it’s immediately clear how they earned their name; they truly look like they are walking on wooden poles.
Why Lake Magadi?
Lake Magadi isn't your typical freshwater retreat. It is a soda (alkaline) lake, a harsh environment that most animals avoid. However, for waders like the stilt, it’s a goldmine.
Foraging Strategy: Their height allows them to wade deeper than other shorebirds, reaching food sources that smaller birds can't touch.
The Menu: They use those sharp beaks to peck at brine flies, larvae, and small crustaceans that thrive in the alkaline waters.
Adaptation: While the soda levels can be corrosive, the stilt thrives here, sharing the shoreline with shimmering flocks of Lesser Flamingos.
A Photographer’s Dream
Capturing a Black-winged Stilt in motion is a highlight of any Tanzanian safari. Whether they are delicately picking their way through the mud or taking flight with those long legs trailing behind them like a rudder, they bring a unique grace to the rugged landscape of the crater.
Pro-Tip: If you’re visiting Ngorongoro, bring a pair of high-quality binoculars or a long telephoto lens. The stilts often stick to the muddy shallows of Lake Magadi where the "slapping waves" meet the shore—a perfect spot for action shots.