Bush Stone-curlew

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Bush Stone-curlew - The State of Victoria, Department of Environment and Primary Industries/McCann | Bush Stone-curlew - The State of Victoria, Department of Environment and Primary Industries/McCann | Bush Stone-curlew - Bob Winters | Bush Stone-curlew - Bob Winters | Bush Stone-curlew - Michael Seyfort

Burhinus grallarius

Male and female similar. Grey-brown above with buff white underparts and dark streaking on the back and undersides. The wing has a large white mark with dark streaks. Dark bill, white eyebrow and throat, with a large yellow eye and a dark stripe under the eye and down the side of the neck. Size: 55-59 cm.

Details
Type
Bird
Group
Animals
Stone-curlew
Other Common Names
Bush Thick-knee, Southern Stone-curlew
Biology

Nocturnal. Camouflages well during the day. Will lie flat on the ground or disappear amongst foliage to escape observation. Breeds August-January. Two eggs are laid in a shallow scrape in the ground with both parents sharing the incubation and care of the young. Abundance in Victoria has declined markedly due to predation by foxes and feral cats, and changes in land use.
Distinctive Markings

Prominent streaking, white eyebrow, throat and wing patch.
Taxonomy
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Charadriiformes
Family
Burhinidae
Genus
Burhinus
Species
grallarius
Eastern, south-eastern and northern Australia, absent from southern and inland Australia.

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Males and females perform a courtship dance which is repeated for an hour or more, accompanied by loud and constant calling.

Interesting Facts
Diet

Omnivore, feeding on invertebrates, small lizards and mammals, and seeds.
Habitat

Open woodland, dry watercourses, sandplains, coastal scrub, roadside remnant vegetation.
Native Status
Native to Australia
Audio
Sounds
Generally heard at night, a very distinctive loud mournful wailing call "wee-ier, wee-ieer, whee-ieeer, whee-ieer-loo" which increases in volume and then trails away.