General Information  
The great thick-knee, a large wader measuring 49–55 cm, is characterized by its prominent upturned black and yellow bill, with the lower mandible forming a sharp angle that enhances its distinctive appearance. It has large yellow eyes and striking white foreheads with ‘spectacles’ that contrast sharply with its black ear coverts. Its plumage consists of unstreaked grey-brown upperparts and breast. This bird is typically found along the banks of flowing rivers and lakes with rocky or sandy shores. Often seen standing still on the shore, it is quite shy and tends to flush even at a distance. It prefers riverbed shingle, rocks, stony banks, and muddy areas around large lakes but occasionally visits nearby grassy flats and, less frequently, coastal beaches and estuaries. The species is thought to be largely sedentary, though it undergoes local movements when water levels rise. Its diet primarily consists of crabs, large insects, and other animal prey. During breeding, it lays a single egg in a bare scrape on open shingle.

Threats
- Nest predation by dogs and disturbances caused by fishermen and domestic animals.
- Serious threats from human activities on riverbeds, resulting in pollution and habitat degradation.
- Habitat loss due to illegal sand mining and conversion of riverine areas into agricultural land.
- Fragmentation of natural habitat caused by the construction of dams and reservoirs on large rivers.