Spotted Thick-knee (Burhinus capensis)

I just luvvvv them! They are só clever and interesting !! There are quite a lot of them in our neighbourhood, making a terrible noise when they see me, surely scared I might steal their babies! They even fly up in the air, circling all around me while shouting at me at the top of their voices, but they fly all over a piece of land a block or two from where their babies are, to distract me, and of course to make me believe their babies are in a different place! ;-)

They have long legs and grow to a height of about 43cms and weigh about 365gms when fully grown.

They breed on the ground, in a nest made of figs, straw and leaves and are faithful to one wife in a lifetime ( monogamous) - toootally the opposite of our country's president! ;-)

They forage for food on the ground and eat insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants.