Jerdon's Courser
CR

Jerdon's Courser

Rhinoptilus bitorquatus

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerdon's_courser

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Jerdon's Courser faces severe threats from extensive habitat conversion of its scrubland and grassland habitats to agriculture and development. Overgrazing by livestock has degraded remaining habitat quality, while the species' extremely restricted range in Andhra Pradesh makes it vulnerable to any local disturbances. The nocturnal nature and cryptic behavior of this ground-dwelling bird makes population monitoring challenging, but evidence suggests continued decline.

Threat summary

Habitat

Jerdon's Courser inhabits dry scrubland, thorny grasslands, and open woodland areas with sparse vegetation in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, India. The species prefers areas with short grass and scattered shrubs that provide both foraging opportunities for insects and adequate cover for nesting.

Forest· majorShrubland· majorRocky areas· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSite/area managementSpecies managementSpecies recoveryAwareness & communications

Threatened in India

EN

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Jerdon's Courser classified as Critically Endangered?
Jerdon's Courser is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Jerdon's Courser faces severe threats from extensive habitat conversion of its scrubland and grassland habitats to agriculture and development. Overgrazing by livestock has degraded remaining habitat quality, while the species' extremely restricted range in Andhra Pradesh makes it vulnerable to any local disturbances. The nocturnal nature and cryptic behavior of this ground-dwelling bird makes population monitoring challenging, but evidence suggests continued decline.
Where does Jerdon's Courser live?
Jerdon's Courser occurs in India. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Jerdon's Courser?
The main threats to Jerdon's Courser are 1.1, 2.1, 2.3, and 3.2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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