Photo: Chantelle Bosch / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Burchell’s Courser
Cursorius rufus
Burchell's Courser (Cursorius rufus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Africa.
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The Burchell’s Courser (Cursorius rufus) is a member of the Glareolidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 75 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Glareolidae Coursers, Pratincoles
- Genus Cursorius
- Species rufus
Where it lives
Subtropical dry plains of southern Africa: southwestern Angola to southern, northeastern South Africa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 75 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Glareolidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Burchell’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 Burchell’s Courser is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Burchell’s Courser (Cursorius rufus) is a member of the Glareolidae family, within the order Charadriiformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF subtropical dry plains of s Africa: sw Angola to s, ne South Africa.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 75 g, with a wing length of about 13.3 cm and a tail of around 5.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.4 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Burchell’s Courser?
The Burchell’s Courser is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 75 g.
Where does the Burchell’s Courser live?
The Burchell’s Courser is found across Africa with a range covering AF subtropical dry plains of s Africa: sw Angola to s, ne South Africa, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Burchell’s Courser belong to?
The Burchell’s Courser (Cursorius rufus) belongs to the Glareolidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Burchell’s Courser eat?
The Burchell’s Courser is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Burchell’s Courser migrate?
The Burchell’s Courser is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Burchell’s Courser endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Burchell’s Courser's range?
The Burchell’s Courser has a mapped global range of about 1.4 million 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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