Bird Loving - Water Thick Knee

The Water Thick-knee, a handsome wading bird , is mainly heard or seen at night.  it is smaller and greyer than the Spotted Thick -Knee but better distinguished by the presence of a prominent black edged, pale grey wing bar.

Often referred to as the Dikkop, his song is unmistakable, a loud high pitched sound that drops in pitch as it ends. By day it can be found on river and lake edges (normally blending in beautifully with the rocks!) singly or in small groups, and spends the day sitting in any available waterside shade.

It inhabits riverbanks, lake shores, estuaries, mangrove swamps, undisturbed sheltered beaches and the shores of coastal creeks and islands showing a preference for habitats with bushes or shrubs providing cover (e.g. light woodland). It generally avoids heavily vegetated wetlands  but occasionally forages more than 1 km from water

His height is about 41 cms and weighs approximately 270 gms. The male and female Water Thick-knee have the same plumage and colours, unlike many birds where the male is much brighter in color. This is easily explained as the nest is usually built on the ground and carefully camouflaged with small stones, grasses and even clods of mud or silt from the nearby waters edge.

A bird that doesn't blend in is an easy target for predators. The eggs are also camouflaged, providing an additional chance for survival as they incubate.Breeding is variable but generally coincides with the dry season or the early rains, with the species nesting solitarily. When disturbed, it is often reluctant to fly, usually running away from an intruder with its head held low, before finally taking to flight.

You will see the Water Thick-knee around the water during the night as he searches for invertebrates and other small aquatic life forms. He is unmistakable when you get a glimpse of his eyes. Typical of a nocturnal creature, they are large and yellow in color. These birds mate for life, but will search for a new mate if one dies.

The name Water Thick-knee is thought to have derived from exactly what it sounds like, the knee joint is larger than most birds his size and his habitat keeps him right around the waters edge. A busy bird and one with a very unique song, the Water Thick-Knee is rarely seen alone, when you hear his song, chances are off in the distance another will answer.

you can spot it at Lake Bogoria National park, Amboseli National park ...