Double-banded Courser

The Double-banded Courser (Rhinoptilus africanus) is a bird species occurring through large areas of sub-Saharan Africa (e.g., Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania, South Africa, Namibia). Throughout its range the birds are quite common residents of flat, stony or gravelly, semi-desert terrains with firm, sandy soil and tufty grass or thorny scrubs. In this rather harsh environment the birds live in monogamous pairs breeding on the ground. The dominant food source are insects which are caught with the bill while running around on the ground. Due to its wide occurrence, the species seems not to be endangered as of now.

I have seen these beautiful birds in the Etosha National Park in northern Namibia in February 2007.

Double-banded Courser

Double-banded Courser