A rare shorebird is thriving at Horicon Marsh, with the latest survey showing a record number of black-necked stilt nests.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service documented 81 nests this year, including 78 at Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. That’s nearly double the previous high recorded in 2022.
Biologists say Horicon Marsh may now have the largest breeding population of black-necked stilts east of the Mississippi River outside of coastal wetlands.
The long-legged black-and-white birds, typically found along U.S. coastlines, first nested at Horicon Marsh in 1999, marking Wisconsin’s first breeding record for the species.
Researchers say climate change and the birds’ habit of choosing new mates after each breeding season may be helping drive the population increase.
Horicon Marsh is jointly managed by the Wisconsin DNR and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is recognized internationally for its importance to migratory birds.
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