The water thick-knee or water dikkop is a species of bird in the thick-knee family Burhinidae. The species is found across sub-Saharan Africa, usually close to water.
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa
Typical Environment
Found along rivers, lakeshores, estuaries, and floodplains with sandy or gravelly margins and sparse vegetation. It favors quiet backwaters, sandbars, and mudflats, avoiding fast torrents and dense forests. By day it roosts in shade near water, often among driftwood or vegetation. It tolerates some human-modified habitats such as dams and irrigation canals where banks remain open.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
A largely nocturnal shorebird, the water thick-knee has oversized yellow eyes that aid night foraging. Its name comes from the prominent, swollen-looking leg joint. When threatened it often freezes, relying on its cryptic plumage to blend with sand and stones. Its loud, piping calls are a familiar sound along African waterways after dusk.
Wing stretching at a river bank
A chick (flanked by adults) explores a lake shore
Temperament
shy and crepuscular
Flight Pattern
low, strong flight with rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically seen in pairs or small family groups holding linear territories along shorelines. Monogamous pairs nest in a simple ground scrape on open sand or gravel near water. Chicks are precocial and rely on camouflage; adults perform distraction displays to lead intruders away from the nest.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A loud, whistling series of piping notes, often given in duets at night. Calls can escalate into wailing, repetitive phrases that carry far over water.
