Three-banded courser facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Three-banded courser
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Rhinoptilus
Species:	cinctus

The three-banded courser (Rhinoptilus cinctus) is a cool bird. It is part of the Glareolidae bird family. This bird is special because of the three bands on its chest. It lives in many countries across Africa.

Meet the Three-Banded Courser

The three-banded courser is a type of bird called a courser. Coursers are known for running quickly on the ground. They usually live in open areas. These birds are active during the day. They use their long legs to chase after insects.

Where Do They Live?

You can find the three-banded courser in many parts of Africa. They live in countries like Angola, Botswana, and Ethiopia. They also live in Kenya, Namibia, and Rwanda. Other homes include Somalia, Somaliland, South Africa, and South Sudan. You can also spot them in Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These birds prefer dry, open habitats. They like savannas and grasslands.

What Do They Look Like?

The three-banded courser is a medium-sized bird. It has long legs and a short beak. Its feathers are mostly sandy brown. This helps it blend in with the dry ground. The most special thing about it is its chest. It has three dark bands across it. This is how it gets its name! It also has a white stripe above its eye. This stripe makes its eye stand out. Both male and female birds look similar.

Different Kinds of Three-Banded Coursers

Just like people from different places might look a little different, birds can too. Scientists call these slightly different groups subspecies. There are five main types of three-banded coursers. They each live in different areas of Africa.

• R. c. mayaudi: You can find this type in Ethiopia and northern Somalia.
• R. c. balsaci: This one lives in southern Somalia and northeast Kenya.
• R. c. cinctus: This type is found in southeast South Sudan and northwest Kenya.
• R. c. emini: Look for this one in southern Kenya, Tanzania, and northern Zambia.
• R. c. seeboehmi: This type lives from southern Angola and northern Namibia all the way to Zimbabwe and northern South Africa.

Each subspecies might have small differences. These differences could be in their size or the exact color of their feathers. But they all share the main features of the three-banded courser.

Gallery

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  R. c. emini, Lake Baringo, Kenya

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  female (left) and male (right)
  Lake Baringo, Kenya

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  R. c. seeboehmi
  Matetsi Safari Area, Zimbabwe

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  Nominate (right) and seeboehmi (left)