Wildlifeof Thailand
Great Stone-curlew
Burhinidae
Photo: Pål A. Olsvik · CC BY 4.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Esacus recurvirostris
Basic stats
Diet
Crabs, molluscs and other small animals
Habitat
Riverbanks, beaches, mudflats and mangroves
Range
South and Southeast Asia
Size
49–55cm
The great stone-curlew is a very large, heavy-billed shorebird with long yellow legs, bold black-and-white face markings and a grey-brown body. It inhabits broad riverbanks, beaches, mudflats and mangroves across South and Southeast Asia. Mainly crepuscular or nocturnal, it uses its massive bill to take crabs, molluscs and other small animals and lays eggs in a simple scrape on open ground (Wikipedia, general species account). It is Nationally Critically Endangered (Thailand Red Data 2025).
Quick answers
- What does the Great Stone-curlew eat?
- Crabs, molluscs and other small animals
- What habitat does the Great Stone-curlew live in?
- Riverbanks, beaches, mudflats and mangroves
- Where is the Great Stone-curlew found?
- South and Southeast Asia
- How big is the Great Stone-curlew?
- 49–55cm