Eurasian stone-curlew

The Eurasian stone-curlew, Eurasian thick-knee, or simply stone-curlew is a northern species of the Burhinidae (stone-curlew) bird family.

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Distribution

Region

Western Palearctic

Typical Environment

Occurs across much of Europe, North Africa, and parts of Western and Central Asia, with northern breeders wintering in North Africa and the Middle East. Prefers dry, open habitats such as stony fields, sandy heaths, steppe grasslands, fallow farmland, and coastal dunes. It avoids dense vegetation, favoring short swards and sparsely vegetated ground where visibility is high. Daytime is spent resting or crouching, often relying on camouflage; it becomes active mainly from dusk through the night.

Altitude Range

0–1500 m

Climate Zone

Temperate

Characteristics

Size38–46 cm

Wing Span76–88 cm

Male Weight0.42 kg

Female Weight0.4 kg

Life Expectancy15 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

Also called the Eurasian thick-knee, it is a mostly nocturnal wader adapted to dry, open ground rather than wetlands. Its large yellow eyes help it forage at night and give it a striking appearance. The species nests on bare ground where its mottled plumage and eggs are extremely well camouflaged.

Gallery

Eggs in the Museum Wiesbaden collection

Behaviour

Temperament

wary and mostly nocturnal

Flight Pattern

strong, direct flight with rapid wingbeats; conspicuous white wingbars in flight

Social Behavior

Breeds in loose territories, typically as solitary pairs. Nest is a simple scrape on bare or sparsely vegetated ground, usually with two well-camouflaged eggs. Both parents incubate and tend the precocial chicks, which leave the nest soon after hatching.

Migratory Pattern

Partial migrant

Song Description

A loud, ringing, and eerie series of yelping whistles often heard at dusk and during the night. Calls carry over long distances and are most frequent in spring and early summer during territorial displays.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Eurasian teal

The Eurasian teal, common teal, or Eurasian green-winged teal is a common and widespread duck that breeds in temperate Eurosiberia and migrates south in winter. The Eurasian teal is often called simply the teal due to being the only one of these small dabbling ducks in much of its range. The bird gives its name to the blue-green colour teal.

Eurasian tree sparrow

The Eurasian tree sparrow is a passerine bird in the sparrow family with a rich chestnut crown and nape and a black patch on each pure white cheek. The sexes are similarly plumaged, and young birds are a duller version of the adult. This sparrow breeds over most of temperate Eurasia and Southeast Asia, where it is known as the tree sparrow, and it has been introduced elsewhere including the United States, where it is known as the Eurasian tree sparrow or German sparrow to differentiate it from the native American tree sparrow. Although several subspecies are recognised, the appearance of this bird varies little across its extensive range.

Eurasian treecreeper

The Eurasian treecreeper or common treecreeper is a small passerine bird also known in the British Isles, where it is the only living member of its genus, simply as treecreeper. It is similar to other treecreepers, and has a curved bill, patterned brown upperparts, whitish underparts, and long stiff tail feathers which help it creep up tree trunks. It can be most easily distinguished from the similar short-toed treecreeper, which shares much of its European range, by its different song.

Eurasian whimbrel

The Eurasian whimbrel, also known as the white-rumped whimbrel in North America, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across much of subarctic Palearctic region and Europe as far south as Scotland. This species and the Hudsonian whimbrel have recently been split, although some taxonomic authorities still consider them to be conspecific.