Scientific Name: Esacus magnirostris
Malay Name: Kedidi-Malam Besar Pantai
Chinese Name: 石鸻
Range:
Breeding Range: Andaman and Nicobar Island, coastal Malay Peninsula, Indonesian archipelago towards Philippines on the northern side, New Caledonia on the western side and northern Australia on the southern side.
Taxonomy:
Monotypic.
Size: 53-57 cm
Identification:
Large, thickset bird with medium long sturdy legs, heavy head, bulky bill and broad wings. Bustard-like appearance. Head marked with black, white and grey/brown stripes. In flight, upperwings show mostly grey secondaries and mostly white inner primaries. Underwings all white except for black-tipped secondaries and outer primaries.
Habitat: Undisturbed sandy beach and sandflats often near mangroves.
Behaviour/Ecology: Mostly crepuscular and nocturnal. Vocal at night.
Local Status: Very rare resident. Likely extirpated.
Conservation Status: Near Threatened (BirdLife International 2016)
Location: Historical records from Southern Islands. Pulau Busing (1978, 1983), Pulau Salu (1986, 1987) and Pulau Sudong (1989, 1990). Last sighted at Pulau Salu from 25 Dec 1998 to 10 Jan 1999.
Photos:
External Links:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Photos: Oriental Bird Images
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Esacus magnirostris. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. Downloaded on 2 September 2021
Robson, C. (2008). A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia. New Holland Publishers.