Jerdon`s Courser is an Indian bird and it has a scientific name "Rhinoptilus bitorquatus". It is a nocturnal bird belonging to the pratincole and courser family Glareolidae endemic to India.

Discovery of Jerdon`s Courser
Jerdon`s Courser was discovered by the surgeon-naturalist Thomas C. Jerdon in 1848 but not seen again until its rediscovery in 1986. This courser is a restricted-range endemic found locally in India in the Eastern Ghats Mountain Range of Andhra Pradesh. It is currently known only from the Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary, where it inhabits sparse scrub forest with patches of bare ground.

Structure of Jerdon`s Courser
Jerdon`s Courser is an unmistakable compact courser, with two brown breast-bands. It has a yellow base to the black bill, a blackish crown, broad buff supercilium, and orange-chestnut throat patch. A narrow white crown stripe runs on top of the head.

Flight of Jerdon`s Courser
In flight Jerdon`s Courser shows a mostly black tail and a prominent white wingbar.

Sounds of Jerdon`s Courser
The notes of Jerdon`s Courser are repeated at the rate of about 1 per second and uttered 2 to 16 times and several birds in the vicinity may join in the calling.

Endemic Nature of Jerdon`s Courser
Jerdon`s Courser is endemic to southern India, where it is principally known from southern Andhra Pradesh. It has an extremely limited geographical range being known from the Godavari river valley near Sironcha and Bhadrachalam and from the Cuddapah and Anantpur areas in the valley of the Penner River.

Historical Record on Jerdon`s Courser
Jerdon`s Courser was known only from a few historical records and was thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in 1986. It was rediscovered by Bharat Bhushan, an ornithologist at the Bombay Natural History Society who made use of local trappers to capture a specimen. Prior to its rediscovery it was thought to be a diurnal bird. It remains critically endangered due to loss of habitat. It is nocturnal in habit and presumed to be insectivorous. Being a rare bird, nothing is known yet about its behaviour and nesting habits.

Population of Jerdon`s Courser
The population of Jerdon`s Courser estimates for the bird range from between 50 and 249. Recent studies have made use of techniques such as camera trapping and carefully placed strips of fine sand to record footprints from which estimates of population density are made.