Courser - Definition and Overview

The Coursers are a group of birds which together with the pratincoles make up the family Glareolidae . They have long legs, short wings and long pointed bills which curve downwards. Their most unusual feature for birds classed as waders is that they inhabit deserts and similar arid regions.

They have cryptic plumage and crouch down when alarmed to avoid detection by predators.

Like the pratincoles, the coursers are found in warmer parts of the Old World. They hunt insects by running.

Their 2-3 eggs are laid on the ground.

The species are

• Egyptian Plover Pluvianus aegyptius

• Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor

• Temminck's Courser Cursorius temminckii
• Indian Courser Cursorius coromandelius
• Burchell's Courser Cursorius rufus

• Two-banded Courser Rhinoptilus africanus
• Heuglin's Courser Rhinoptilus cinctus
• Violet-tipped Courser or Bronze-winged courser, Rhinoptilus chalcopterus
• Jerdon's Courser Rhinoptilus bitorquatus