|
|
Eurasian Stone-curlew
(Burhinus oedicnemus)
: "Eurasian Thick-knee", "Stone curlew"
German name(s): "Triel", "Eulenkopf", "Glotzauge"
Size: 38-45 cm; wing span: 76-88 cm
Weight: 290-535 g
|
|
 |
Similar species |
|
 |
Physical description |
|
Click here for a physical description
Eurasian Stone-curlews are medium-sized, long-legged waders with
an highly cryptic
plumage.
The cap, neck, chest and the entire back are creamy to light
brownish-grey, with dark brownish-grey streaking. The streaks
are bolder on the body than on the head. The wings have wide
creamy-greyish panels, with a white-black-white wing bar on top.
Apart from a wide darker band through the eyes, the sides of
the head and the chin are creamy, bordered by a darker, streaked
moustachial stripe. The belly and vent are also
creamy, while the undertail coverts are rufous.
The irises are dark-yellow. The strong, straight bill is black,
with a yellow base. The legs and feet are yellowish-grey.
Juvenile
birds have a shorter bill, less prominent
wing bars, less streaking, an in general lower colour contrast
and no rufous undertail coverts.
|
 |
Taxonomy, classification |
|
See Eurasian
Stone-curlew at Wikipedia .
|
 |
Range, habitat, finding this species |
|
Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Eurasian Stone-curlew is available
HERE
.
There are 5 extant races of Eurasian Stone-curlews, which
are a partly migratory species.
They are sedentary only around the southern and western
Mediterranean Sea and along the North-west African coast.
In sub-Saharan Africa and in parts of Arabia they are
winter visitors, while in temperate parts of Europe and
in Asia Minor they are breeding migrants. Their stronghold
is in south-western to southern and central Asia, in a
region from South of the Caucasus mountain range and around
the Caspian Sea to roughly the western border of China and
from northern Iraq (the Euphrates/Tigris river system) to
the border of Pakistan with India.
In Europe Eurasian Stone-curlews are sedentary in the
southern 2/3 of Iberia. Elsewhere in Europe, including
the Mediterranean islands where they occur,
they are found only as breeding migrants from the South
or on their migration.
Apart from a large fraction of France, their breeding range
encompasses only a few sites in southern England, a few
in Germany, Italy and the eastern Adriatic coastline.
Otherwise, they have strongholds along the Danube River,
downstream from the Czech Republic, parts of Greece and
the western and northern Black Sea coastline, out to the
western Caspian Sea.
Eurasian Stone-curlews are one of the species of waders
specializing in life in dry, open habitats, with either
sandy or rocky soil, where they also nest in a scrape.
|
 |
Sightings |
|
Click here for sighting information
Race "oedicnemus"
J. Pires reports finding Eurasian
Stone-curlews, nominate race
"oedicnemus",
in Albufeira do Divor, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, in February 2016.
Others were found near Mora, Evora, Portugal, in May 2020.
Race "saharae"
Although not found in Europe, we show here for completeness
photos of race
"saharae"
taken by M. Eaton in Egypt.
|
 |
Photos |
|
Race "oedicnemus"
 |
ADULT |
|
Lateral view of an Eurasian Stone-curlew; note the bold wing bars,
indicating that this is an adult bird
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]
Lateral view of an Eurasian Stone-curlew, different stance
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]
Dorsal view of an Eurasian Stone-curlew keeping an eye on the observer
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]
Distant dorsal view of an Eurasian Stone-curlew spreading its wings
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira do Divor, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2016]
Lateral view of an Eurasian Stone-curlew in flight, wings down
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]
Lateral view of an Eurasian Stone-curlew in flight, wings up
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]
Near-dorsal view of an Eurasian Stone-curlew in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]
Near-dorsal view of an Eurasian Stone-curlew in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]
Distant dorsal view of an Eurasian Stone-curlew in a rocky
landscape (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira do Divor, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2016]
Distant near-dorsal view of two Eurasian Stone-curlews in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Albufeira do Divor, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2016]
Race "saharae"
 |
ADULT |
|
Near-frontal view of an Eurasian Stone-curlew (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]
Near-frontal view of an Eurasian Stone-curlew scratching
its neck (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.