the planet’s most assertive bird or this uncommon venomous bird.
Documented in September 2025 in Wilson County, Texas, the double-striped thick-knee is an extraordinarily rare and peculiar bird — exhibiting an almost annoyed expression — that has not been observed in the region since 1961. If you calculate that, it’s been 64 years, which is quite a lengthy absence for a bird from a specific locale. There may be an entire generation that has never encountered this bird, perhaps even more. This also clarifies why birdwatchers are dubbing it “one of the most extraordinary sightings in the history of the state.” The double-striped thick-knee was seen and captured in photographs by a local bird enthusiast and her grandchildren.
