Spotted Thick-knee (Burhinus capensis)

Spotted Thick-knee

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Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Burhinidae
Genus: Burhinus
Species: B. capensis
Binomial name
Burhinus capensis
Lichtenstein, 1823
Multinational names
Afrikaans: Gewone Dikkop
French: Oedicnème tachard
Portuguese: Alcaravão do Cabo
German: Kaptriel / Bändertriel
Zulu: umBangaqhwa / umJenjana
Xhosa: Ingqangqolo
Tswana: Kgoadirê / Mongwangwa / Tswangtswang
Sotho: Khoho-ea-lira / Khoalira
Swazi: Umunkonkoni
Tsonga: Mtshikuyana
Shona: Gwarimutondo
Kwangali: Eswaita
Roberts #
297

Identification. The Spotted Thick-knee (Burhinus capensis) grows to be about 45 cm in height and weighs between 380 and 600 g. It’s a relatively large thick-knee with black and brown spots on its back. In flight 2 white patches at the tip of the wing is visible. The underside of the bird is light yellow-brown and also spotted. They have large eyes and yellow legs. It may be distinguished from the Water Thick-knee by its spotted back and the lack of a wing bar.

Juveniles are similar.

Habitat. Spotted Thick-knees may be found in savanna, shrubland, grassland, desert, marine intertidal areas, agricultural land and urban areas.

Diet. Spotted Thick-knees feed mainly on termites, grasshoppers, beetles and other invertebrates. Occasionally they will eat reptiles or small mammals.

Call. The Spotted Thick-knee has several calls which may be described as ‘tchee-youuu’, ‘pee pee pee peepee’ and ‘whee-you-ee’. Normally silent during the day. Their call has an eerie, ghost-like, quality.

Breeding. The Spotted Thick-knee nests on the ground, lining a scrape with grasses, feathers, pebbles and twigs. The female typically lays two camouflaged eggs. Incubation period is about 24 days. Males and females rear offspring together, with both bringing food back to the nest. Spotted Thick-knees are very aggressive in defending their nests. The birds will also fake injury to lead predators away from the nest. Typical breeding period is spring or early summer.

South African Distribution. The Spotted Thick-knee is a common resident throughout the entire country.

Port Elizabeth Area. The Spotted Thick-knee is common in Port Elizabeth but not always easy to find. Mostly nocturnal and well camouflaged they are difficult to spot. I cannot recommend any specific areas but they do frequent the grassland areas and golf clubs.

Conservation Status – LC (Least Concern)1 This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size may be moderately small to large, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Spotted Thick-knee
  1. IUCN Redlist – Spotted Thick-knee Fact Sheet