Indian Stone-curlew

Overview

The Indian stone-curlew, also known as the Indian thick-knee, is a stocky ground bird found across South and South-eastern Asia. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List and was formerly considered a subspecies of the Eurasian stone-curlew.

Identification

• A stocky, plover-like bird approximately 41 cm long with dark streaks on a sandy brown background.
• Features large yellow eyes, a dark stripe bordering a creamy moustachial stripe, and a narrow creamy supercilium.
• Possesses stout legs with thick knees and displays two prominent white wing bars in flight.
• Emits sharp whistling notes described as 'pick-pick-pick-pick', sometimes ending in 'pick-wick'.

Habitat

Restricted to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam. It inhabits dry deciduous forests, thorn forest, scrubby riverbeds, groves, stony hillsides, fallow lands, and even gardens.

Diet

The diet consists mainly of insects, worms, and small reptiles, with occasional consumption of seeds.

Did you know?

These birds are so cryptically coloured that they are difficult to spot against backgrounds of soil and rock, and their chicks freeze and crouch when alarmed to avoid detection.