About
Contact
DONATE
DONATE

Glareolidae - Coursers, Pratincoles

There are 17 species of birds in this family. They are found in warm regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Madagascar, and Australia.

Coursers have long legs, relatively short wings, and slightly downcurved bills. They run across open, dry habitats such as deserts, grasslands, and savannas, chasing insects and other small invertebrates on the ground.

Pratincoles have long, pointed wings, short legs, and often forked tails. Unlike most shorebirds, they catch most of their insect prey while flying, much like swallows.

Species in this family include the Temminck’s Courser (Cursorius temminckii), Madagascar Pratincole (Glareola ocularis), Three-banded Courser (Rhinoptilus cinctus), Indian Courser (Cursorius coromandelicus), and Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola).

Note: The Egyptian Plover (Pluvianus aegyptius) was once placed in this family, but it is now classified in its own family, Pluvianidae.

  • The Indian Courser is found in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
    Indian Courser
    (Cursorius coromandelicus)
    The Indian Courser is found in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
  • The Cream-colored Courser is found in dry regions of Norther Africa, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Cream-colored Courser
    (Cursorius cursor)
    The Cream-colored Courser is found in dry regions of Norther Africa, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • Burchell's Courser is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Burchell's Courser
    (Cursorius rufus)
    Burchell's Courser is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The Somali Courser is found in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Sudan. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Somali Courser
    (Cursorius somalensis)
    The Somali Courser is found in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Sudan. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • Temminck's Courser is found in Sub-Saharan Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Temminck's Courser
    (Cursorius temminckii)
    Temminck's Courser is found in Sub-Saharan Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The Gray Pratincole is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Gray Pratincole
    (Glareola cinerea)
    The Gray Pratincole is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The Small Pratincole is also known as the Little pratincole. It is found in Bangladesh, Laos, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Small Pratincole
    (Glareola lactea)
    The Small Pratincole is also known as the Little pratincole. It is found in Bangladesh, Laos, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The Oriental Pratincole is found in Asia and Australia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Oriental Pratincole
    (Glareola maldivarum)
    The Oriental Pratincole is found in Asia and Australia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The Black-winged Pratincole is found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
    Black-winged Pratincole
    (Glareola nordmanni)
    The Black-winged Pratincole is found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
  • The Rock Pratincole is found in central Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Rock Pratincole
    (Glareola nuchalis)
    The Rock Pratincole is found in central Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The Madagascar Pratincole only breeds in Madagascar. It is also found in Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia, and Tanzania. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
    Madagascar Pratincole
    (Glareola ocularis)
    The Madagascar Pratincole only breeds in Madagascar. It is also found in Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia, and Tanzania. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
  • The Collared Pratincole is found in Europe, Africa, and Asia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Collared Pratincole
    (Glareola pratincola)
    The Collared Pratincole is found in Europe, Africa, and Asia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • Jerdon’s Courser is a rare, nocturnal bird found in India. It was first discovered in 1848 by surgeon-naturalist Thomas C. Jerdon but was not seen again for more than 130 years, until its rediscovery in 1986. IUCN Redlist Status: Critically Endangered
    Jerdon's Courser
    (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus)
    Jerdon’s Courser is a rare, nocturnal bird found in India. It was first discovered in 1848 by surgeon-naturalist Thomas C. Jerdon but was not seen again for more than 130 years, until its rediscovery in 1986. IUCN Redlist Status: Critically Endangered
  • The Bronze-winged Courser is found in Sub-Saharan Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Bronze-winged Courser
    (Rhinoptilus chalcopterus)
    The Bronze-winged Courser is found in Sub-Saharan Africa. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The Thee-banded Courser is found in Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Three-banded Courser
    (Rhinoptilus cinctus)
    The Thee-banded Courser is found in Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The Double-banded Courser is found in Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Double-banded Courser
    (Smutsornisafricanus)
    The Double-banded Courser is found in Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The Australian Pratincole is found in Australia, Timor-Leste, Christmas Island, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Australian Pratincole
    (Stiltia isabella)
    The Australian Pratincole is found in Australia, Timor-Leste, Christmas Island, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern

Did You Know?

Temminck's Courser is one of the species found in this family.
Temminck's Courser is one of the species found in this family.

World Status Key

Status and range is taken from IUCN Redlist

Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critically Endangered
Extinct in the Wild
Extinct
Not Enough Data

U.S. Status Key

Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife

Threatened in US
Endangered in US
Introduced

NH Status Key

Status taken from NH Fish and Game

Threatened in NH
Endangered in NH
Breeds in NH (birds)

Location Key

Africa
Asia
Australia/Oceania
Europe
North/Central America
south america alt
South America

New Hampshire Species

No animals found.

Other Species Around the World

No animals found.

Support for NatureWorks is provided by:

Subscribe to @NHPBS

NHPBS inspires one million Granite Staters each month with engaging and trusted local and national programs on-air, online, in classrooms and in communities.

Facebook Flickr Instagram Youtube

Education

Taking Action

Shows

FCC Public File Info: WENH | WLED | WEKW | EEO Public File Report | For assistance, please email themailbox@nhpbs.org
Website by CleverLight