Rhinoptilus chalcopterus
The Bronze-winged Courser (Rhinoptilus chalcopterus) is a captivating and largely nocturnal terrestrial shorebird found across sub-Saharan Africa. Distinguished by its striking iridescent bronze-green secondary feathers, prominently displayed in flight, it measures 25-29 cm (10-11.5 inches) in length and weighs approximately 150-180g. Its appearance is further characterized by rufous-brown upperparts, a white supercilium, a distinct white moustachial stripe, and a contrasting black crown, all...
Primarily inhabits dry open woodlands, savannas, and grassy plains, often with scattered trees, favoring areas with bare ground or sparse vegetation. It typically occurs at low to medium elevations, frequently near water sources.
Feeds almost exclusively on insects, including beetles, grasshoppers, moths, termites, and ants, supplemented with spiders and occasionally small snails. It primarily forages by walking rapidly and gleaning prey from the ground.
The Bronze-winged Courser is predominantly nocturnal and crepuscular, emerging at dusk to forage and remaining active through the night, resting camouflaged during the day in the shade of bushes or trees. Its foraging strategy involves walking swiftly across open ground, pausing to scan, then dar...
The Bronze-winged Courser is widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, inhabiting a broad band from Senegal and Gambia in West Africa, eastward through the Sahel region to Ethiopia, and south through East Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia, extending into Southern Africa across Ango...
Least Concern
- The Bronze-winged Courser is one of the most nocturnal species in the Charadriiformes order, a group largely known for diurnal shorebirds. - Its common name comes from the striking iridescent bronze-green sheen on its secondary wing feathers, which are particularly visible in flight or during d...