Description
The Indian Thick-knee (Burhinus indicus), also known as the Indian Stone-curlew, is a distinctive ground-dwelling bird of the Indian subcontinent. This original wildlife photograph captures the characteristic appearance of this fascinating species, including its large yellow eyes, cryptic brown plumage, long legs and prominent thick knee joints.
The Indian Thick-knee belongs to the family Burhinidae, a group commonly known as stone-curlews and thick-knees. Although these birds are traditionally grouped with waders, many thick-knees are strongly associated with dry and open terrestrial habitats rather than typical wetlands.
About the Indian Thick-knee
The Indian Thick-knee has predominantly sandy-brown plumage with darker streaking and pale markings that provide excellent camouflage against dry soil, rocks and vegetation. Its large yellow eyes are particularly noticeable and are an adaptation associated with its largely crepuscular and nocturnal lifestyle.
The species has a distinctive facial pattern, including a pale eyebrow and pale markings around the eye, while its strong legs have the prominent joints that give thick-knees their common name. In flight, contrasting white markings on the darker wings become visible.
Habitat and Behaviour
Indian Thick-knees are primarily associated with dry, open habitats, including grasslands, fallow agricultural land, scrub, dry riverbeds, thorny vegetation and other sparsely vegetated areas. Their cryptic plumage allows them to remain surprisingly difficult to detect when they are resting on the ground.
The species is mainly active around dawn, dusk and during the night. During the day, Indian Thick-knees may remain motionless or seek shade, relying on their camouflage to avoid detection.
Their diet consists largely of insects and other invertebrates, with small reptiles and other food items also forming part of their diet.
Indian Thick-knee in India
The Indian Thick-knee (Burhinus indicus) is a resident species distributed widely across India and parts of South and Southeast Asia. Current Indian bird-taxonomy resources recognize Burhinus indicus as a distinct species and list Indian Stone-curlew as an alternative name.
The species is currently classified as Least Concern globally. State of India’s Birds identifies it as a resident species associated with open habitats.
Photography Details
Common Name: Indian Thick-knee
Alternative Name: Indian Stone-curlew
Scientific Name: Burhinus indicus
Family: Burhinidae
Bird Type: Thick-knee / Ground-dwelling Bird
Category: Bird Photography / Wildlife Photography
Country: India
Photographer: Amarjeetsinh Jhala
About This Photograph
This is an original wildlife photograph captured in the wild by wildlife photographer Amarjeetsinh Jhala.
The photograph is part of the Focused Nature By AJ collection of original Indian bird photography and wildlife photography, documenting birds and wildlife in their natural environments.
The image can be used for bird identification, educational projects, wildlife articles, nature websites, editorial content, conservation-related material and commercial applications according to the selected license.
Image Licensing
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