About Burhinus capensis (M.H.K.Lichtenstein, 1823)
The spotted thick-knee, with the scientific name Burhinus capensis, can reach a maximum height of 45.5 cm (17.9 in). It has long legs, and brown-and-white speckled plumage that acts as camouflage, making the bird hard to spot in the grasslands and savannas it inhabits. It has a large, round head, a prominent yellow eye, and a short, stout beak. When it is in flight, or standing in a characteristic position with its wings raised, it displays a striking contrasting pattern. Its legs are long and yellow, and its tibiotarsal joint is expanded; this expansion gives the species the common name "thick-knee". The spotted thick-knee is native to the grasslands and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. Its range extends from Senegal, Mali and Mauritania in the west, east to Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania, and south to South Africa. It can also be found in south Yemen in West Asia.
