Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Bush Stone-curlew
Burhinus grallarius
Bush Stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Bush Stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius) is a member of the Burhinidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 648 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Burhinidae Stone-curlews, Thick-knees
- Genus Burhinus
- Species grallarius
Where it lives
Inland southern Trans-Fly (south-central New Guinea) and Australia (except south-central, Tasmania)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 648 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Burhinidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Bush Stone-curlew is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open woodland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Bush Stone-curlew is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Bush Stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius) is a species of bird in the Burhinidae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU inland s Trans-Fly (sc New Guinea) and Australia (except sc, Tasmania).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 648 g, with a wing length of about 29.1 cm and a tail of around 17.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Bush Stone-curlew?
The Bush Stone-curlew is a large bird that weighs around 648 g.
Where does the Bush Stone-curlew live?
The Bush Stone-curlew is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU inland s Trans-Fly (sc New Guinea) and Australia (except sc, Tasmania), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Bush Stone-curlew belong to?
The Bush Stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius) belongs to the Burhinidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Bush Stone-curlew eat?
The Bush Stone-curlew is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Bush Stone-curlew migrate?
The Bush Stone-curlew is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Bush Stone-curlew endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Bush Stone-curlew make?
1 real field recording of the Bush Stone-curlew — including its duet — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Bush Stone-curlew's range?
The Bush Stone-curlew has a mapped global range of about 2.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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