AnimaliaHighest rank in taxonomy. Groups all life into domains: Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, etc.IUCN LCInternational Union for Conservation of Nature — the world authority on species extinction risk, using standardized criteria. — Least Concern — widespread and abundant; not at immediate risk of extinction.In ProgressCurrent stage of this record in the editorial review workflow. Recent Sighting
Burhinus bistriatus
Double-striped Thick-knee
(Wagler, 1829)
Detailed Texts Multi-lang
A large, terrestrial, predominantly nocturnal shorebird with a stocky build and an upright posture. It is characterized by its immensely large, striking yellow eyes and a highly distinctive facial pattern consisting of a broad white supercilium bordered above by a prominent black stripe. The upperparts are intricately patterned with greyish-brown and buff streaks, providing flawless camouflage. The underparts are pale white to buff, with fine brownish streaks on the breast. It possesses long, thick, greenish-yellow legs with noticeably swollen tibiotarsal joints. The bill is short, stout, black at the tip, and yellow at the base.
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Anonymous Curator
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Under Review
Last modified by
Julia Trouin
TaxonomyBiological classification ranks placing this species within the tree of life, from Kingdom down to Genus.
PhylumRank below Kingdom. Groups organisms sharing a fundamental body plan (e.g., Chordata = vertebrates and some invertebrates).Chordata
ClassRank below Phylum. Subdivides by structural traits (e.g., Mammalia, Aves, Reptilia, Insecta).Aves
OrderRank below Class. Groups related families sharing common ancestry (e.g., Carnivora, Primates).Charadriiformes
FamilyRank below Order. Groups closely related genera (e.g., Felidae = cats, Canidae = dogs).Burhinidae
GenusRank just above Species. The first word in the two-part binomial scientific name.Burhinus
Taxonomic AuthorityThe scientist who first formally described and published this species, followed by the year of publication.(Wagler, 1829)
Record Completeness
95%Coming soon
Ecology & StatusHow this species lives: habitat preferences, diet, behavior, population status, and role in its ecosystem.
OriginWhether the species is native (evolved here), endemic (found only here), or introduced by human activity.
Native
Population TrendDirection of change in population size over time: increasing, stable, decreasing, or unknown.
Stable
Breeding SeasonTime of year when this species typically reproduces or flowers.
Year Round
Trophic RolePosition in the food chain: producer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, decomposer, or parasite.
Carnivore
Recent SightingsWhether this species has been observed in the wild in Costa Rica within recent years.
Yes
Habitat SummaryOverview of the specific ecosystems and environments where this species is found in Costa Rica. Multi-lang
Strictly dry, open, flat terrestrial ecosystems. It thrives in arid and semi-arid savannas, dry grasslands, cattle pastures, clearings, and semi-desert scrublands, generally avoiding marshy soil, dense forests, or high emergent wetland vegetation.BehaviourDaily activity patterns, movement, territory use, foraging style, and seasonal behavioral changes. Multi-lang
Primarily crepuscular and nocturnal. They spend daylight hours standing completely still in the shade of bushes or crouching in high grass. As dusk settles, they become highly vocal and active, hunting with a deliberate walk-and-rush technique. When disturbed at night, they run rapidly on foot rather than flying, emitting loud, chattering, rhythmic vocalizations that echo across the savannah.Social ActivitySocial structure: whether the species is solitary, paired, or colonial; hierarchy and communication. Multi-lang
Generally solitary or found in territorial, monogamous pairs during the breeding cycle. Outside of reproduction, they remain mostly independent but can occasionally form loose, scattered aggregations of up to 10-15 individuals around premium nocturnal foraging grounds or preferred day roosts.Feeding GuildWhat the species eats, how it forages or hunts, and its role as a consumer in the food web. Multi-lang
Carnivore (specialized terrestrial nocturnal invertivore and small vertebrate opportunistic hunter).Trophic Chain DetailsSpecific interactions in local food webs: prey species, predators, competitors, and scavengers. Multi-lang
An apex invertebrate consumer within arid grassland food webs. Its diet is overwhelmingly dominated by large insects including beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, and scorpions, but it opportunistically consumes small lizards, rodents, and land snails. Main predators include foxes, feral dogs, and large owls.Reproductive BehaviourMating strategies, courtship displays, nesting or spawning behavior, and parental care. Multi-lang
Monogamous. The nest is a simple, unlined shallow scrape directly on the bare dry ground, often placed near a piece of dried dung, rock, or low bush for camouflage. The female deposits exactly 2 oval, cream-colored eggs covered in heavy brown splotches. Both parents incubate the clutch for 25 to 27 days, sharing duties primarily at night while relying on plumage blending by day. The precocial chicks are highly sub-cryptic, hatching covered in sandy down; they leave the nest scrape within a few hours of hatching, hiding perfectly under tufts of grass while both parents guard and actively provision them with insects.Physical Measures
Length (cm)
43.0 - 48.0 cm
Weight (Grams)
700 g - 900 g
Offspring per cycleTypical number of young (live births, eggs, or seeds) produced by one adult in a single reproductive event or breeding season.2 - 2
Sexual DimorphismObservable physical differences between males and females of the same species (e.g., size, coloration, features).No
Lifespan
Sexual MaturityAge at which the individual becomes capable of reproducing for the first time.
1 - 2 Years
Gestation / IncubationDuration from fertilization to birth (mammals) or to hatching (egg-laying species).
25 - 27
Lifespan EstimatedExpected duration of life from birth to natural death under wild conditions.
Males6 - 14 Years
Females6 - 14 Years
Evolutionary AdaptationsInherited traits and behaviors that improve the species' survival and reproduction in its specific environment. Multi-lang
Possesses hyper-developed, massive nocturnal eyes with specialized high-density rod cell retinas, enabling precise visual hunting of rapid arthropods and small vertebrates in pitch-black or low-light conditions.
Relies on spectacular crypsis and freezing behavior; when a threat is perceived during the day, the bird compresses its body, lowers its head horizontally, and stands completely motionless for hours, blending perfectly with dry grass and open earth.
Main ThreatsDocumented pressures reducing the population: habitat loss, hunting, disease, climate change, and invasive species. Multi-lang
High nest failure rates caused by agricultural intensive mechanization (tractors destroying ground nests), continuous chemical spraying of pastures which depletes food sources, and direct predation by domestic dogs and feral cats.
Interesting FactsSurprising or notable facts that highlight what makes this species unique or ecologically important. Multi-lang
In many rural Neotropical regions, landowners welcome these birds into gardens and chicken coops as natural pest controls and semi-domestic watchdogs, valued for their loud, piercing alarm calls triggered by human intruders at night.
Despite being classed as a shorebird, it is heavily xerophilic (adapted to dry conditions) and almost never wades in water or visits mudflats; it drinks water mainly from dew droplets accumulated on savannah vegetation.