Five species of similar-looking stilts are recognized in this genus. The black-necked stilt is found along the edges of shallow water in open country. This species breeds in scattered localities across the western and southern United States, and southward through the Caribbean and Central America to South America (also in Hawaii). It winters from the southern United States southwards. Its habitat is typically shallow fresh and saltwater wetlands, including salt ponds, rice fields, shallow lagoons and mangrove swamps.