Jerdon’s Courser
Rhinoptilus bitorquatus
Jerdon's Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of South & Southeast Asia.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Jerdon’s Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus) is a member of the Glareolidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 150 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Critically Endangered.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Glareolidae Coursers, Pratincoles
- Genus Rhinoptilus
- Species bitorquatus
Where it lives
Tropical scrub jungle of east-central India: Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh (extremely rare)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 150 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Glareolidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Jerdon’s Courser is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Jerdon’s Courser is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Jerdon’s Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus) belongs to the Glareolidae family of the order Charadriiformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR tropical scrub jungle of ec India: Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh (extremely rare).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 150 g, with a wing length of about 15.8 cm and a tail of around 5.8 cm.
It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 19,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Jerdon’s Courser?
The Jerdon’s Courser is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 150 g.
Where does the Jerdon’s Courser live?
The Jerdon’s Courser is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR tropical scrub jungle of ec India: Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh (extremely rare), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Jerdon’s Courser belong to?
The Jerdon’s Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus) belongs to the Glareolidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Jerdon’s Courser eat?
The Jerdon’s Courser is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Jerdon’s Courser migrate?
The Jerdon’s Courser is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Jerdon’s Courser endangered?
It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.
What sound does the Jerdon’s Courser make?
1 real field recording of the Jerdon’s Courser — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Jerdon’s Courser's range?
The Jerdon’s Courser has a mapped global range of about 19,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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