Cursorius coromandelicus (J.F.Gmelin, 1789)

Species Identification and Range Overlap

This courser species, Cursorius coromandelicus, is widespread across South Asia, with a range that overlaps the similar-looking cream-coloured courser.

Plumage Comparison with Cream-coloured Courser

It is brighter in colour than the cream-coloured courser, and has a broader black eye-stripe that starts at the base of the beak.

Crown and Breast Coloration

Its crown is chestnut, and its breast is rufous.

Nape and Stripe Features

A dark black patch sits on the nape, where longer feathers forming the white stripe meet.

In-flight Appearance

In flight, its rump looks white, and its wing tip is not as contrastingly black as that of the cream-coloured courser.

Sexual Dimorphism

The sexes of this species look identical.

Leg and Toe Morphology

Its long legs are whitish, and like other coursers, it only has three forward-pointing toes.

Taxonomic Relationships

This species is closely related to other regional coursers, and is considered to form a superspecies with Cursorius cursor, Cursorius rufus and Cursorius temminckii.

General Habitat Preferences

For distribution and habitat, this species lives in dry, stony, scrubby or rocky country, and is rarely found on sandy terrain.

Core Geographical Range

Its range extends from the Indus Valley east to just before Bangladesh, and south to the southern tip of Peninsular India.

Sri Lanka Occurrence and Habitat Avoidance

It sometimes occurs in the dry zone of northern Sri Lanka, and always avoids wet forest zones.

Etymology of Scientific Name

The species gets its scientific name from the Coromandel region, the dry east coast zone of southern India where it is not uncommon.

Regional Distribution Hotspots

It is also patchily distributed across other parts of the peninsula, and is commonly seen on the Deccan plateau and in the arid regions of northwestern India’s Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Movement Patterns

It is resident in some areas, but makes local movements.

Flocking Behaviour

In terms of behaviour and ecology, these birds are usually seen in small flocks.

Habitat Height Preference

They tend to stay in areas where grass is not taller than they are, because tall grass blocks their view.

Diet and Feeding Location

They feed mainly on insects including termites, beetles, crickets and grasshoppers, which they pick up from the ground in stubbly or uncultivated fields.

Locomotion and Alarm Call

They run in short spurts across the ground, but will take flight while giving a hoarse, creaky gwaat call.

Flight Characteristics

Their flight is strong, with rapid wing beats; they fly low, and begin running again soon after landing.

Breeding Season Timing

They breed mainly from March to August, with breeding records from mid-May in southern India and Sri Lanka, and mid-April in Darbhanga.

Nesting and Egg Features

They nest in a shallow scrape on bare stony ground, laying 2 or 3 speckled, well-camouflaged, very spherical eggs.

Chick Anti-predator Behaviour

The chicks have protective colouring, and crouch and stay completely immobile when alarmed, making them extremely hard to spot.

Adult Response to Nest Disturbance

Adults do not call or display when their nest or chicks are approached.

Chick Development and Parental Care

Chicks are able to move immediately after hatching, but are initially fed by their parents, and begin foraging on their own after one week.