Thai National Parks

Species of Thailand

Great thick-knee

Esacus recurvirostris

Georges-Frédéric Cuvier, 1829

In Thai: นกกระแตผีใหญ่

The great stone-curlew or great thick-knee (Esacus recurvirostris) is a large wader which is a resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh into South-east Asia.

Habits

This species prefers gravel banks along rivers or large lakes, and also beaches. It is mainly nocturnal or crepuscular like other stone-curlews, but can frequently be seen foraging during the day, moving slowly and deliberately, with occasional short runs. It tends to be wary and flies off into the distance ahead of the observer, employing powerful, rather stiff wingbeats. The call is a wailing whistle, given mainly at night, as with other birds in this family. The great thick-knee eats crabs, large insects, and other animal prey. A single egg is laid in a bare scrape on the open shingle.

Description

The great thick-knee is a large wader at 49–55 cm, and has a massive 7 cm bill with the lower mandible with a sharp angle giving it an upturned appearance. It has unstreaked grey-brown upperparts and breast, with rest of the underparts whitish. The face has a striking black and white pattern, and the bill is black with a yellow base. The eyes are bright yellow and the legs a duller greenish-yellow. In flight, the great thick-knee shows black and white flight feathers on the upperwing, and a mainly white underwing. Sexes are similar, but young birds are slightly paler than adults.

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Category / Seasonal Status

BCST Category: Recorded in an apparently wild state within the last 50 years

BCST Seasonal statuses:

  • Resident or presumed resident
  • Non-breeding visitor

Scientific classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Charadriiformes
Family
Burhinidae
Genus
Esacus
Species
Esacus recurvirostris

Common names

  • English:
    • Great stone-curlew
    • Great thick-knee
  • Thai: นกกระแตผีใหญ่

Synonyms

  • Burhinus recurvirostris recurvirostris, Charles Gald Sibley & Burt Leavelle Monroe (1990)

Conservation status

Near Threatened (IUCN3.1)

Near Threatened (IUCN3.1)

Near Threatened (IUCN3.1)

Near Threatened (BirdLife)

Critically Endangered (IUCN3.1)

Critically Endangered (ONEP)

Critically Endangered (IUCN3.1)

Critically Endangered (BCST)

Range Map

Distribution map of Great thick-knee, Esacus recurvirostris in Thailand
  • Ban Laem District, Phetchaburi
  • Laem Pak Bia
  • Mueang Nakhon Pathom District, Nakhon Pathom
  • Pha Taem National Park
Range map of Esacus recurvirostris in Thailand