The bush stone-curlew or bush thick-knee is a large, ground-dwelling bird endemic to Australia. Its favoured habitat is open plains and woodlands, where it stalks slowly at night in search of invertebrates such as insects. Its grey-brown coloration is distinguished by dark streaks, its eyes are large and legs are long. It is capable of flight, but relies on the camouflage of its plumage to evade detection during the day; the bush curlew adopts a rigid posture when it becomes aware of an observer. Both sexes care for two eggs laid on the bare ground, usually sited near bush in a shaded position or next to a fallen branch.
Region
Australia
Typical Environment
Found across much of mainland Australia in open woodlands, lightly timbered grasslands, and savanna with sparse ground cover. It favors areas with leaf litter, fallen branches, and patchy understory where its streaked plumage offers excellent camouflage. It also uses farmland edges, airfields, and urban greenspaces where disturbance is low. Avoids dense forests and very open treeless deserts.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1000 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Also known as the bush thick-knee, it is famous for its haunting, wailing night call and its uncanny freeze posture that relies on superb camouflage. Though capable of strong flight, it spends most of its time walking stealthily on long legs. Populations have declined in southern Australia due to habitat loss and predation by foxes, while it remains more common in the north.
A cryptic motionless adult
Chicks in cryptic pose
Threat posture against a carpet python
Temperament
solitary and cryptic
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; low, direct flights when flushed
Social Behavior
Typically found singly or in pairs that defend territories year-round. Nests are simple scrapes on bare ground, often beside a log or shrub for shade and concealment. Both parents share incubation and care for the two chicks, relying on camouflage and distraction displays to deter threats.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A loud, eerie, wailing series of rising and falling notes that carries far on still nights. Calls intensify at dusk and during the breeding season, often prompting responsive choruses from neighboring birds.
