Burhinus fossil map
Where fossils of Burhinus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 0 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Prehistoric birds |
|---|---|
| Lived | 18.5 million years ago to the present (Burdigalian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Burhinidae |
| Named by | Illiger 1811 |
| Fossil records | 12 occurrences at 10 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Bahamas, United States, Ecuador, Peru, South Africa, Venezuela, Turks and Caicos Islands, Cuba, Portugal |
| Rock formations | txn:39561, Sheep Creek |
About Burhinus
Burhinus is a genus of birds in the family Burhinidae. This family also contains the genera Esacus and Hesperoburhinus. The genus name Burhinus comes from the Greek bous, ox, and rhis, nose.
The species of Burhinus are commonly called stone-curlew, thick-knee, or dikkop. They are medium-sized, terrestrial waders, though they are generally found in semi-arid to arid, open areas. Only some species of Burhinus are associated with water. The genus ranges from 32 cm to 59 cm in size. Burhinus are characterised by their long legs, long wings and cryptic plumage. Most species have a short, thick, strong bill, to which the generic name alludes. The stone-curlews are found all over the world except Antarctica. They are mainly tropical, with the greatest diversity in the Old World.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Burhinus (revision 1379689777), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q220598.
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