Burhinus

This large shorebird looks scary and bizarre with its yellow eyes and pointy beak. The cryptic plumage (streaky brown colored) with long legs makes it look odder. The dry grassland and open stony heathland help Eurasian thick-knee to hide in plain sight during daytime, promoting nocturnal behavior.

The flight feathers have different black-and-white wing patterns. Subspecies show a range of pink to grey colored plumage with distinctive overall size and leg length. For instance, harterti is greyer than others, while insularum is relatively more streaks. They have a melodious call which is a surprise as it seems they’d have haunting calls.