Lincoln Park Zoo

Common name: Cape thick-knee
Latin Name: Burhinus capensis

Class: Birds
Order:    Charadriiformes

Description
The cape thick-knee, which can reach up to 18 inches in height, has long legs and a brown-and-white speckled coat.

Range
Sub-Saharan Africa

Status
Common

Habitat
Dry grasslands and savannas

Niche
The cape thick-knee hunts exclusively on the ground, feeding on insects, small mammals and lizards.

Life History
The cape thick-knee builds its nest in a scrape in the ground, which it lines with grasses, feathers, pebbles and twigs. The female typically lays two eggs, and males and females rear offspring together, with both bringing food back to the nest. The birds will even fake injuries to lead predators away from the nest.

2

Special Adaptations

  • The cape thick-knee’s brown, spotted feathers provide camouflage, making it difficult to spot in the grasslands where it lives.