Burchell's courser

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Burchell's courser
Cursorius rufus00a.jpg
C. rufus pair in Namibia
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Glareolidae
Genus: Cursorius
Species:
C. rufus
Binomial name
Cursorius rufus
Gould, 1837
Cursorius rufus dist.jpg

Burchell's courser (Cursorius rufus) is a wader in the pratincole and courser family, Glareolidae. [2] The name of this bird commemorates the English naturalist William John Burchell. [3]

Contents

Native to Africa, Burchell's courser is a small, diurnal, and terrestrial bird that lives in the western parts of southern Africa. [4] Although classed as waders, these are birds of dry open country, preferably semi-desert, where they typically hunt their insect prey [4] (usually Harvester Termites) [5] by running on the ground. It principally feeds off of insects and lives in open, short grasslands and burnt veld. [4] It grows up to 22 cm and on average weighs about 75 g as an adult. [5]

Description

Close-up of C. rufus Cursorius rufus - Etosha 2014.jpg
Close-up of C. rufus

Burchell's courser has a graceful figure and an upright posture. It has a blue-grey hind crown which is mainly how it differs from the similar Temminck's Courser. [5] It also has a horizontal black band demarcating a white underbelly, and an overall pale rufous colour. [5] Its face features white supercilia above black eye lines, all ending at the back of the neck to form a double V. [6] In terms of feathers, its secondaries are mostly white with a black underwing and brown to grey coverts. [6] Typical of coursers, its bill is long, arched down, and of a dark colour like its eyes. [7] Similar to the underbelly, the legs are of a distinctive creamy white. [6] [5] While flying, the Burchell's courser's feet extend past its tail. [6]

Females and males look similar, while juveniles lack the rufous colouring, the facial stripes, and the grey hind crown of the adults. [7] They also are mottled, with black and beige barring. [5] [7] Overall, the Burchell's courser, with its camouflage appearance, blends in with the landscape making it challenging to spot.

Biometrics
Measurements (mm)
height200-225
bill19-24
wing123-145
tail45-53
tarsus43-58

Taxonomy

Burchell's courser belongs to the order Charadriiformes which mainly refers to birds living near water. [8] Characterized by a curved beak and nostrils located at the base of the nose, the Burchell's courser is part of the Glareolidae family, specifically belonging to the courser group. Its genus, Cursorius, contains five species, all of which live in the arid parts of the Old World and display distinctive features such as long legs and short wings. [9]

Burchell's courser and its close relative, C. cursor , have at times been referred to as the same species. [6] [5] However, although they have a direct common ancestor, they should not be considered as such. [10] C. rufus is monotypic and does not have any subspecies. [5]

Distribution and habitat

C. rufus in a gravelly desert Burchell's Courser.jpg
C. rufus in a gravelly desert

Endemic to Africa, Burchell's courser prefers the warm and dry areas of Southern Africa. [2] Specifically, it is found in most of South Africa and Namibia, and in parts of Angola (Southwest) and Botswana [11] (Kalahari Basin). [5] [12] Its distribution range occasionally coincides with that of the Temminck's Courser. [7]

Burchell's courser inhabits deserts or semi deserts with gravel rather than just sand, but also open grasslands with short grass, and sparse, burnt, or overgrazed vegetation. [5] [6] [7] It is often referred as locally nomad based on its movements at the landscape level, possibly travelling due to fluctuations in rainfall. [5] [13] [14] Although it is classified as least concern, Its population is declining, potentially due to its habitat loss on arable lands, inadequate farming practices such as intense irrigation and overuse of pesticides, and other anthropogenic disturbances. [2] [12] [15]

Behaviour

The adults have developed a diversionary display as a strategy against predators. They perform "displacement brooding" to distract any potential threats from the nesting area. [7] [14] Even though the chicks are considered precocial, [9] they lack the heat-loss mechanisms present in the adults to survive the hot climate, and thus need shade to avoid overheating. [14]

Voice

Burchell's courser often prefers to run rather than fly, and will most likely take to the air only when the disturbance is significant. [9] Often referred to as inconspicuous, this bird is mostly quiet on the ground, but becomes vocal when flying, producing a loud flight call. [6] Thus far, three types of vocalizations it produces have been identified: one throaty "chuk" as it launches in the air, a few "chuk chuk" grunts while flying, and a contact call consisting of a "kwirrt-kwirrt" or a "kok-kok-kwich". [5] [7] If threatened by a predator, the Burchell's courser may run away from its nest, emitting an alarm call in order to divert the predator. [14]

Feeding

Burchell's courser is predominantly an insectivore. [5] [16] It uses its long bill to forage the ground and dig up insects. This bird also runs to catch its prey. [5] It has been found to frequently eat from the Coleoptera group, especially curculionidae beetles as its main food source. [16] However, the Burchell's courser tends to have a preference for harvester termites (Hodotermesmossambicus) when available, which can constitute over 50% of its diet. [16] It almost never chooses seeds as a source of nutrition. [9] [16] The yearly frequency of rainfalls affects the food availability and quality, which is the main reason the Burchell's courser travels around. [13]

Breeding

Burchell's coursers may occur in small flocks but are mostly solitary, monogamous birds. [5] [7] They have developed an all-year-round breeding strategy due to their nomadic movements, [13] [14] although they often breed just before the wet season between July and December.

With a small clutch size, the Burchell's courser only lays two eggs directly on the ground, sometimes surrounded by stools of antelopes, small rocks, or dried up organic matter. [7] [9] The eggs have an oval shape, and look black from afar, but they are actually of a buff colour with many dark markings. [7] [9] There is a lot of uncertainty when it comes to the hatching and fledging times, but it is believed that both parents participate in the incubation period. [7]

Related Research Articles

Pratincole Subfamily of birds

The pratincoles or greywaders are a group of birds which together with the coursers make up the family Glareolidae. They have short legs, very long pointed wings and long forked tails.

Courser Subfamily of birds

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.

Glareolidae Family of birds

Glareolidae is a family of birds in the wader suborder Charadrii. It contains two distinct groups, the pratincoles and the coursers. The atypical Egyptian plover, traditionally placed in this family, is now known to be only distantly related.

Collared pratincole Species of bird

The collared pratincole, also known as the common pratincole or red-winged pratincole, is a wader in the pratincole family, Glareolidae. As with other pratincoles, it is native to the Old World.

Black-winged pratincole Species of bird

The black-winged pratincole is a wader in the pratincole bird family, Glareolidae. The genus name is a diminutive of Latin glarea, "gravel", referring to a typical nesting habitat for pratincoles. The species name commemorates the Finnish-born zoologist and explorer Alexander von Nordmann.

Oriental pratincole Species of bird

The oriental pratincole, also known as the grasshopper-bird or swallow-plover, is a wader in the pratincole family, Glareolidae.

Cream-colored courser Species of bird

The cream-colored courser is a wader in the pratincole and courser family, Glareolidae. Both parts of the scientific name derive from Latin cursor, "runner", from currere, "to run" which describes their usual habit as they hunt their insect prey on the ground in dry open semi-desert regions of Western Asia and northern Africa.

Small pratincole Species of bird

The small pratincole, little pratincole, or small Indian pratincole, is a small wader in the pratincole family, Glareolidae.

Jerdons courser Species of bird

Jerdon's courser is a nocturnal bird belonging to the pratincole and courser family Glareolidae endemic to India. The bird was discovered by the surgeon-naturalist Thomas C. Jerdon in 1848 but not seen again until its rediscovery in 1986. This courser is a restricted-range endemic found locally in India in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh. It is currently known only from the Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary, where it inhabits sparse scrub forest with patches of bare ground.

Egyptian plover Species of bird

The Egyptian plover, also known as the crocodile bird, is a wader, the only member of the genus Pluvianus. Formerly placed in the pratincole and courser family, Glareolidae, it is now regarded as the sole member of its own monotypic family Pluvianidae.

<i>Cursorius</i> Genus of birds

Cursorius is a genus of coursers, a group of wading birds. The genus name derive from Latin cursor, "runner", from currere, "to run".

<i>Rhinoptilus</i> Genus of birds

Rhinoptilus is a genus of coursers, a group of wading birds. There are three species, which breed in Africa and South Asia. They have long legs, short wings and long pointed bills which curve downwards. Although classed as waders, they inhabit deserts and similar arid regions. Like the pratincoles, the coursers are found in warmer parts of the Old World. They hunt insects by sight, pursuing them on foot.

Indian courser Species of bird

The Indian courser is a species of courser found in mainland South Asia, mainly in the plains bounded by the Ganges and Indus river system. Like other coursers, it is a ground bird that can be found in small groups as they forage for insects in dry open semi-desert country.

Temmincks courser Species of bird

Temminck's courser is a bird in the pratincole and courser family, Glareolidae. It is a wader which lives in sub-Saharan Africa. It is noted for laying its dark colored ash-black eggs in the burnt bushes and grass of the African savannah.

Rock pratincole Species of bird

The rock pratincole is a species of bird in the family Glareolidae.

Double-banded courser Species of bird

The double-banded courser, also known as the two-banded courser, is a species of bird in the family Glareolidae.

Bronze-winged courser Species of bird

The bronze-winged courser or violet-tipped courser is a species of bird in the family Glareolidae. This species is named for its characteristic bronze-tipped feathers that are visible during flight. It is found living throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, inhabiting semi-arid savannas and woodlands. This is a nocturnal species which mainly feeds on ground-dwelling insects. Bronze-winged coursers are typically solitary, only forming monogamous pairs for breeding. A female may produce 2-3 eggs per clutch, and the chicks receive parental care from both sexes when young. The bronze-winged courser is considered of Least Concern for conservation status, and is thought to be a very stable species.

Australian pratincole Species of bird

The Australian pratincole is a species of bird in the family Glareolidae. It breeds in Australia's interior; it winters to northern and eastern parts of the continent, Indonesia and New Guinea. It is a medium-sized nomadic shorebird which is commonly found in arid inland Australia. It breeds predominantly from south-western Queensland to northern Victoria and through central Australia to the Kimberley region in Western Australia. The Australian population is estimated at 60,000 individuals. They are a migratory species that generally move to the southern parts of their distribution range to breed during spring and summer. During winter they migrate to northern Australia, New Guinea, Java, Sulawesi and southern Borneo to over-winter. Although they are common, their occurrence is unpredictable and varies in location.

Somali courser Species of bird

The Somali courser is a wader in the pratincole and courser family, Glareolidae.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2016). "Cursorius rufus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22694116A93439396. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22694116A93439396.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Hancock, Peter; Weiersbye, Ingrid (24 November 2015). Birds of Botswana. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p. 158. ISBN   9781400874170 . Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  3. ↑ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael (2003). Whose Bird? Men and Women Commemorated in the Common Names of Birds. London: Christopher Helm. p. 72. ISBN   9780713666472.
  4. 1 2 3 Ekstrom, J.; Butchart, S.; Malpas, L. (2016). "Species factsheet: Cursorius rufus". BirdLife International . Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Maclean, G.L.; Kirwan, G.M. (2016). "Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive: Burchell's Courser (Cursorius rufus)". Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Marchant, John; Hayman, Peter; Prater, Tony (2010-09-30). Shorebirds. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN   978-1-4081-3515-0.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 The Birds of Africa: Volume II. Bloomsbury Publishing. 2020-05-29. ISBN   978-1-4729-8640-5.
  8. ↑ "ITIS Standard Report Page: Cursorius rufus". www.itis.gov. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Pratincoles and Coursers (Glareolidae) | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  10. ↑ Clancey, P. A. (1986-01-01). "Endemicity in the Southern African Avifauna". Durban Museum Novitates. 13 (20): 245–284. ISSN   0012-723X.
  11. ↑ WILSON, J.R. (1983). "The Avifauna of the Lobatse Area, South-East Botswana". Botswana Notes and Records. 15: 59–74. ISSN   0525-5090. JSTOR   40979681.
  12. 1 2 International), BirdLife International (BirdLife (2016-10-01). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Cursorius rufus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  13. 1 2 3 Dean, W. R. J. (1997). "The Distribution and Biology of Nomadic Birds in the Karoo, South Africa". Journal of Biogeography. 24 (6): 769–779. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2699.1997.00163.x. ISSN   0305-0270. JSTOR   2846114.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 Maclean, G. L. (2008-04-03). "The Breeding Biology and Behaviour of the Doublebanded Courser Rhznoptzlus Afrzcnus (Temminck)". Ibis. 109 (4): 556–569. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919x.1967.tb00025.x. ISSN   0019-1019.
  15. ↑ Hauptfleisch, Morgan L.; Avenant, Nico L.; Tsowaseb, Alton (2013). "Aircraft-Wildlife Collisions at Two Major Namibian Airports from 2006–2010". South African Journal of Wildlife Research. 43 (2): 177–184. doi:10.3957/056.043.0208. ISSN   0379-4369. S2CID   129638419.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Kok, O. B.; Kok, A. C. (2002-04-01). "Diet of three courser species in an open grassland habitat, central South Africa". South African Journal of Wildlife Research. 32 (1): 39–42. ISSN   2410-7220.
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