The Somali courser is a wader in the pratincole and courser family, Glareolidae.
Region
Horn of Africa
Typical Environment
Found primarily in Somalia with ranges into adjacent eastern Ethiopia and Djibouti, occupying open, sparsely vegetated plains and semi-desert. It favors gravelly flats, short grass steppe, and lightly shrubbed Acacia country with ample bare ground. Coastal arid plains and inland plateaus with stony substrates are typical. It avoids dense vegetation and rugged terrain, preferring unobstructed areas that allow unobstructed running and visibility.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Somali courser is a lightly built, ground-running wader of open semi-desert, relying on excellent camouflage and swift sprinting to evade predators. It often breeds after rains, laying a well-camouflaged single egg in a shallow scrape on bare ground. Like other coursers, it spends much more time running than flying and gives thin, whistled calls when alarmed.
Temperament
wary and alert
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low and direct over the ground
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly, in pairs, or small family parties, especially after rains when breeding occurs. Nesting is on bare ground in a shallow scrape, typically a single egg with cryptic markings. Chicks are precocial and rely on camouflage and stillness when threatened.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are soft, thin whistles and piping notes, often given when flushed or during contact with a mate. Calls carry over open flats and can sound slightly melancholic and drawn-out.
