Spotted dikkop
Latin Name
Burhinus capensis
Class
Birds
Order
Charadriiformes
Description
Burhinus capensis
Class
Birds
Order
Charadriiformes
Description
The spotted dikkop, which can reach up to 18 inches in height, has long legs and a brown-and-white speckled coat.
Range
Status
Habitat
Niche
Life History
Special Adaptations
Sub-Saharan Africa
Status
Common. Lincoln Park Zoo participates in the Spotted Dikkop Species Survival Plan®, a shared management effort by zoos throughout the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Habitat
Dry grasslands and savannas
Niche
The spotted dikkop hunts exclusively on the ground, feeding on insects, small mammals and lizards.
Life History
The spotted dikkop builds its nest in a scrape in the ground, which it lines with grasses, feathers, pebbles and twigs. The female typically lays two eggs, and males and females rear offspring together, with both bringing food back to the nest. The birds will even fake injuries to lead predators away from the nest.
Special Adaptations
The spotted dikkop's brown, spotted feathers provide camouflage, making it difficult to spot in the grasslands where it lives.
