Indian-courser

Indian Courser    Cursorius coromandelicus

Etymology:

• Cursorius: Latin word for courier, runner derived from currere- to run.
• Coromandelicus : From Coromendal coast in India

Vernacular Names : Hindi: Samanya Nukri, Bi: Thonth, Pun: Nukri, Guj: Rana godhalo, Badami rangoghalo, Ta: Al kaatti, Te: Yerra chitawa, Mal: Veli alappan, Sinh: Weli kirala, Mar: Bhartiya dhavik

Distribution in India: Widespread resident in plains across the country

Description: Size of 22-23 cm. Upper parts are sandy greyish brown with white upper tail; crown bright rufous bordered below by white supercilia meeting in V on nape and black stripe through eye to bill; breast and upper belly cinnamon-chestnut, bordered below by blackish band on lower belly; under tail white; above, black primaries and outer secondaries contrast with grey-brown coverts; underwing dark greyish brown, primaries black, narrow white trailing edge; bill black, legs white. Both sexes look similar.

Habitat:It is found in dry stony plains, salty wastes, waste and fallow land with scattered scrub, ploughed fields, overgrazed areas and bare pastures around villages.

Food Habits: They eat Beetles and their larvae, grasshoppers, mole crickets and other insects, such as ants; small molluscs. They catch insects by running in fast spurts, stopping and dipping forward to peck at ground. Occasionally observed in sizeable flocks

Breeding Habits: They breed in Feb-Aug. Nest a shallow unlined scrape on bare ground. They lay a clutch of 2-3eggs. The incubation mostly performed by female for 35 days. The chicks are tended by both parents, but mostly by female.