page_title: Burhinus
section_title: Breeding
hierarchical_section_title: Burhinus / Behaviour and ecology / Breeding
caption_attribution_description: English: Bush Stone-curlew chicks, Burhinus grallarius
context_page_description: Burhinus is a genus of bird in the family Burhinidae. This family also contains the genus Esacus. The genus name Burhinus comes from the Greek bous, ox, and rhis, nose.
  The Burhinus are commonly called thick-knee, stone-curlew or dikkop. They are medium-sized, terrestrial waders, though they are generally found in semi-arid to arid, open areas. Only some species of Burhinus are associated with water. The genus ranges from 32 cm to 59 cm in size. Burhinus are characterised by their long legs, long wings and cryptic plumage. Most species have a short, thick, strong bill. The stone-curlews are found all over the world except Antarctica. They are mainly tropical, with the greatest diversity in the old world.
context_section_description: Eurasian stone-curlews are the best-studied species, however what is known about other species aligns with Eurasian information in many instances. Burhinus form monogamous, long-term (probably lifelong) pairs.  For the more tropical species, the breeding season is opportunistic, depending on the availability of food and nesting sites, while the temperate species nest in the spring and summer. Generally, nesting will consist of solitary pairs, if possible, but when the population is dense or the habitat restricted, multiple pairs may be found nesting in close proximity, especially double-striped and Senegal stone-curlews. Courtship consists of short runs, skips and leaps with open wings and the black and white wing/tail patches may possibly be important. Displays may be between two birds or in a group. Bush stone-curlews have a dramatic dance that is quite well described. They stand erect with wings out and vertical with black and white patterns showing. They run on the spot with high steps, all the time repeating wails of increasing speed, final screams and trills. This will be repeated multiple times.
  Eurasian stone-curlews will select a nest site with a bowing display – forward leaning with head and neck downward sometimes with the bill touching the ground. The male indicates a spot, female shuffle onto that spot and scrapes. Birds take turns to sit on scrape, shuffling and turning, pick up twigs and stones and throwing away. This process will be repeated in multiple sites before selecting one. Bowing performance at scrape before eggs are laid with arched posture ‘neck-arch’ display, then relaxing, before mating. Mating is more frequent in early stages of nest selection and reduces until just before eggs are laid.
  Location of Burhinus’ nests can vary and may be near vegetation or out in the open. The nest usually consists of a simple scrape that is sometimes lined with stones or shells.  Placement of nest site in different habitats such as heath-land or farmland can vary from year to year by the same pairs. If the vegetation becomes too tall, as can occur if nesting occurs within a crop, Burhinus will abandon the nest site. The Senegal thick-knee will use grit, straw, wood and shells to line its nest, while the spotted thick-knee uses smaller animal dung and vegetation to line the nest. Double-striped thick-knees may also use dung to line their nest. Water thick-knees will use more lining than other species and usually place the nest near a piece of driftwood or vegetation, sometimes on elephant dung.  Bush stone-curlews nest under trees of open woodland with understorey of short sparse or lush grass, often near dead timber.
  Both parents incubate (for 24–27 days), defend and rear offspring. The male can be more aggressive. Burhinus chicks are partially independent by four weeks. Some species of Burhinus will only have one clutch, unless eggs or chicks are lost, while other will have two. The length of time with parents depends on whether there is a second clutch. If a second clutch is laid, then the older offspring will be pushed away. Chicks are independent at 2–3 months. Pairs may move on from territory if their eggs or chicks are taken. Clutch size is two eggs, rarely three, laid at 2-day intervals. Egg size is specific to species and the eggs are usually rounded ovals, smooth slightly glossy, whitish or buffish with brown spots and mottles. Burhinus’ eggs match with the ground, nesting building and choice of nest substrate preferred by each species and individual variation occurs. This increases crypsis and improves hatching success. Incubation begins when the last egg is laid but sometime just before with synchronous or consecutive hatching. Broken shells are carried away.
  Burhinus chicks are precocial and nidifugous. They have long stout legs and thick down. The parents will guard and collect food for them when very young. They will also lead them to feeding ground over quite a large area. Bush stone-curlews have been seen lifting young after brooding and the Senegal thick-knee is suspected of carrying their chic
caption: Bush stone-curlew chicks
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