Alternative Name: Beach Stone-curlew
- Esacus giganteus
Burhinus giganteus
Identification
A large, rather ungainly bird with an outsized beak, it could be mistaken at first glance for a heron species.
Similar Species
The only other thick-knee or stone-curlew to occur in Australia is the Bush Thick-knee which is more generally brownish, and is not confined to the coasts.
Distribution
Coastal Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Status This large wading bird is endangered.
Taxonomy
A monotypic species.
Habitat
Open sandy and rocky beaches, exposed reefs, mangroves, and tidal sand or mudflats.
Behaviour
The single egg is laid on the beach just above the high tide line.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Beach Thick-knee. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 3 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Beach_Thick-knee