thickknee

Thickknee is a common name referring to a group of large, ground-dwelling birds belonging to the family Burhinidae. These birds are also known as stone curlews or dikkops. They are found in tropical and subtropical regions across the globe, inhabiting a variety of open country habitats such as grasslands, savannas, deserts, and coastal areas.

Physically, thickknees are characterized by their stout bodies, relatively long legs, and large eyes adapted for nocturnal and crepuscular activity. Their plumage is typically cryptic, providing excellent camouflage against their surroundings, with mottled browns, grays, and whites. They possess a distinctive thick, almost knobby-looking knee joint, which gives them their common name.

Thickknees are primarily insectivores, feeding on a diet of insects, spiders, and other invertebrates, though they may also consume small vertebrates. They are often observed foraging at dawn and dusk, moving with a characteristic jerky gait. When threatened, they tend to freeze, relying on their camouflage, or may perform a distraction display to lure predators away from their nests.

Their vocalizations are often described as loud, piercing whistles or screams, particularly noticeable at night. Most species are resident or nomadic, undertaking short-distance movements in response to food availability or breeding conditions. They are ground-nesters, laying one to three eggs in a shallow scrape on the ground.