Eurasian Stone-curlew

Seen one? Add it to your free UK BirdedexHear its song and see the mapFree, no app download. Rare bird: +8 points when you log it.

Habitat and behaviour

Habitat: Stony fields, heathland.
Diet: Beetles, worms, small reptiles.
Best time to spot: Crepuscular; stays still by day.

When to look

A summer visitor, typically in the UK from March to October. Numbers peak in April. See the April birding guide for what else is about. More on the season in Bird migration in Britain.

Taller bars mean more birds about. Grey means it is usually absent.

How rare is it?

The Eurasian Stone-curlew sits in our Rare tier for the UK: scarce or very local, so most birders need a planned trip. It is Amber-listed in Birds of Conservation Concern 5, the middle level of concern in the UK. It is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, so it is an offence to disturb it at or near the nest. We blur the location of every sighting of this species.

Where to see it

Reserves where the Eurasian Stone-curlew is on the list:

• RSPB Minsmere

Recent UK sightings

Similar birds

• Common QuailRare · Cereal fields (summer)
• Glossy IbisRare · Marshes
• Montagu's HarrierRare · Cereal fields (very rare breeder)
• Red-backed ShrikeRare · Scrubby heathland (ex-breeder)
• Taiga Bean GooseRare · Damp fields (winter)
• Tundra Bean GooseRare · Damp fields (winter)

Kit that helps

Best binoculars for UK birding. Affiliate links, our own picks, no extra cost to you.