Photo: Tisha Mukherjee / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Indian Courser
Cursorius coromandelicus
Indian Courser (Cursorius coromandelicus) — 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 Indian Courser (Cursorius coromandelicus) is a member of the Glareolidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 138 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Glareolidae Coursers, Pratincoles
- Genus Cursorius
- Species coromandelicus
Where it lives
Subtropical to tropical dry stony plains of southern Asia: north-central Pakistan, sub-Himalayan India, far southern Nepal and far northern Sri Lanka
Quick facts
- Weight
- 138 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Glareolidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Indian Courser is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Indian Courser is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Indian Courser (Cursorius coromandelicus) is a member of the Glareolidae family, within the order Charadriiformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR subtropical to tropical dry stony plains of s Asia: nc Pakistan, sub-Himalayan India, far s Nepal and far n Sri Lanka.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 138 g, with a wing length of about 14.5 cm and a tail of around 5.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Indian Courser?
The Indian Courser is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 138 g.
Where does the Indian Courser live?
The Indian Courser is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR subtropical to tropical dry stony plains of s Asia: nc Pakistan, sub-Himalayan India, far s Nepal and far n Sri Lanka, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Indian Courser belong to?
The Indian Courser (Cursorius coromandelicus) belongs to the Glareolidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Indian Courser eat?
The Indian Courser is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Indian Courser migrate?
The Indian Courser is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Indian Courser endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Indian Courser make?
1 real field recording of the Indian Courser — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Indian Courser's range?
The Indian Courser has a mapped global range of about 2.4 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.
Explore more birds
More in Glareolidae
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Shorebirds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern