Eurasian Stone-curlew

Burhinus oedicnemus

Thick-knees and Stone-curlews · Charadriiformes · Uncommon

The Eurasian Stone-curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) is a uncommon thick-knees and stone-curlew found in 64 countries, weighing about 459 g. The Eurasian stone-curlew, Eurasian thick-knee, or simply stone-curlew is a northern species of the Burhinidae (stone-curlew) bird family.

Least ConcernUncommonEats invertebratesgrasslandscrape nest459 g

About the Eurasian Stone-curlew

The Eurasian stone-curlew, Eurasian thick-knee, or simply stone-curlew is a northern species of the Burhinidae (stone-curlew) bird family.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The Eurasian stone-curlew is a fairly large wader, though mid-sized by the standards of its family. Length ranges from 38 to 46 cm (15 to 18 in), wingspan from 76 to 88 cm (30 to 35 in) and weight from 290 to 535 g (10.2 to 18.9 oz). with a strong yellow and black beak, large yellow eyes (which give it a "reptilian", or "goggle-eyed" appearance), and cryptic plumage. The bird is striking in flight, with black and white wing markings.

What the Eurasian Stone-curlew sounds like

Recording: Philippe_Grange · CC0 · via xeno-canto
Recording: Noé Ferrari · CC BY 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Recording: Sonothèque ADVL · CC0 · via xeno-canto

Where it lives

Recorded as a rare visitor in Netherlands, Finland, India, Sudan.

When to see it

Best months: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, with peak activity in May. It is a variable species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Eurasian Stone-curlew?
The Eurasian stone-curlew is a fairly large wader, though mid-sized by the standards of its family. Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Eurasian Stone-curlew?
The Eurasian Stone-curlew is a large sized bird weighing about 459 g.
Where can you see a Eurasian Stone-curlew?
The Eurasian Stone-curlew occurs in 64 countries, including France, Spain, Israel, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
What does a Eurasian Stone-curlew sound like?
You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Eurasian Stone-curlew on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
What birds look similar to a Eurasian Stone-curlew?
The Eurasian Stone-curlew is most easily confused with the Spotted Thick-knee, the Water Thick-knee and the Bush Stone-curlew.
Is the Eurasian Stone-curlew endangered?
The Eurasian Stone-curlew is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Eurasian Stone-curlew for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

Play BeakBrain

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