Rhinoptilus bitorquatus
The Jerdon's Courser, Rhinoptilus bitorquatus, is a medium-sized, strikingly marked nocturnal bird belonging to the family Glareolidae, which includes coursers and pratincoles. Approximately 26-29 cm (10-11 inches) in length, its plumage is a cryptic sandy-brown, perfectly blending with its dry scrub habitat. Distinctive field marks include a prominent double white gorget (collar) across its breast, a bold white supercilium (eyebrow) contrasting with a black eye-stripe, and a dark crown. Its ...
Found in dry deciduous scrub forests, open thorny woodlands, and stony ground near seasonal streams at low elevations, typically below 300 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of ground-dwelling invertebrates such as crickets, beetles, termites, and other arthropods. It forages by walking and pecking on open ground.
Jerdon's Courser is strictly nocturnal, becoming active only after dusk and retreating to dense scrub before dawn, making it incredibly challenging to observe. During the day, it roosts solitarily or in pairs, concealed within thorny bushes. Foraging occurs on bare or sparsely vegetated ground, w...
Jerdon's Courser is endemic to a highly restricted and fragmented range within the Eastern Ghats mountain range of Andhra Pradesh, India. Historically, records indicated a wider distribution across southern India, including parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra, but it vanished from all known sites ...
Critically Endangered
- Jerdon's Courser was considered extinct for 86 years, from 1900 until its dramatic rediscovery in 1986, earning it the moniker 'phoenix bird'. - It is one of only two strictly nocturnal species among the entire courser and pratincole family (Glareolidae). - The species is named after T.C. Jerdo...