Also called the spotted thick-knee.
Fairly large, with dark-brown and buff-spotted upperparts but lacking grey wing coverts. In flight, it shows small, white patches at the base of the primaries, while the remainder of flight feathers and greater coverts are blackish. Underwing white with black leading and trailing edges and a median stripe.
Juveniles are more streaked above than adults.
43 cm. 380 – 600 g. 80 cm wingspan.
Common resident in open areas, including fields and parks. Often in pairs. Predominantly nocturnal.
Birds of Southern Africa (2020).
Saving the Dikkop
Behind every wildlife picture, there is a story. And these bird shots are no exception !
A few times a year, my husband and I make the trip to Graaf-Reinett to visit his family and have a change of scenery. And this time, at the beginning of summer, I made an unexpected encounter in front of the family house : it was a female spotted dikkop and its little chick !
In front of the house, there is an open shallow ditch. When we parked the bakkie and got out, we spotted the female dikkop, behaving strangely, just as if in a panic. I then noticed that the little chick was stuck in the ditch and could not get back out ! So, I gently grabbed the terrified little bird – he was so fluffy – and then released it onto the street to its mother.
And that’s how I got these cool bird pictures !
F*CK FISH 