The coursers are a subfamily (Cursoriinae) of
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...
s 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
wader
245px, A flock of Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots
Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflats in order to foraging, ...
s 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
The "Old World" () is a term for Afro-Eurasia coined by Europeans after 1493, when they became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia in the Eastern Hemisphere, previously ...
. They hunt insects by running.
Their 2–3 eggs are laid on the ground.
Species in taxonomic order
*
Cream-colored courser
The cream-colored courser (''Cursorius cursor'') is a species of 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 ...
''Cursorius cursor''
*
Somali courser ''Cursorius somalensis''
*
Temminck's courser ''Cursorius temminckii ''
*
Indian courser ''Cursorius coromandelicus''
*
Burchell's courser ''Cursorius rufus''
*
Double-banded courser or two-banded courser, ''Rhinoptilus africanus''
*
Three-banded courser or Heuglin's courser, ''Rhinoptilus cinctus''
*
Bronze-winged courser or violet-tipped courser, ''Rhinoptilus chalcopterus''
*
Jerdon's courser ''Rhinoptilus bitorquatus''
References
* Hayman, Marchant and Prater, ''Shorebirds''
Glareolidae
{{Charadriiformes-stub