Senegal thick-knee

Senegal thick-knee
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Burhinidae
Genus: Burhinus
Species: B. senegalensis
Binomial name
Burhinus senegalensis
Swainson, 1837

The Senegal thick-knee (Burhinus senegalensis) is a stone-curlew, a group of waders in the family Burhinidae.

It is a resident breeder in Africa between the Sahara and the equator, and in the Nile valley.

Senegal thick-knees are medium-large waders with strong black and yellow black bills, large yellow eyes which give them a reptilian appearance and cryptic plumage. The scientific name refers to the prominent joints in the long yellow or greenish legs.

They are similar but slightly smaller than the Eurasian stone-curlew, which winters in Africa. The long dark bill, single black bar on the folded wing, and darker cheek stripe are distinctions from the European species. Senegal thick-knee is striking in flight, with a broad white wing bar.

This species has a preference for dry open habitats with some bare ground, preferably near water. It lays two blotchy light brown eggs on a ground scrape. It is most active at dawn and dusk. The song is a loud pi-pi-pi-pi-pi-pi-pi.

Food is insects, crustaceans and other invertebrates. It will also take other small prey.

References

Further reading

The field characters of this species and its separation from Eurasian stone-curlew are described in:

External links