Stone Curlew

Burhinus oedicnemus

Other Names

  Eurasian Thick-knee, Northern Thick-knee, Common Thick-knee, Stone Thick-knee, European Stone Curlew, Northern Stone Curlew   OEdicnème criard   Triel   Alcaraván Común   Tjockfot   Griel   Occhione

World: Eurasia (inc England, Germany and Poland), se Asia and North and East Africa

Kenya: Occurs in very small numbers in the west of the country as far south as the Kenya/Tanzania border

A scarce Palearctic migrant between October and March. The Stone Curlew or Eurasian Thick-Knee is usually seen alone or in small groups and is normally found in open country or short grassland. This bird was seen at Amboseli in February 1998.  If the bird is looking a bit miserable it may have something to do with the fact that this picture was taken right at the end of one of the worst spells of  "El Niño" weather ever to hit Kenya. Amboseli was very wet!