Bronze-winged Courser

Bronze-winged Courser

Rhinoptilus chalcopterus

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Masai Mara National Reserve
5 Verified sightings at Masai Mara National Reserve From 2019 to 2026
590 Verified sightings across all 27 parks From 2019 to 2026
October Best month highest sighting rate
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted at dawn and dusk

About the Bronze-winged Courser

The bronze-winged courser or violet-tipped courser (Rhinoptilus chalcopterus) is a species of bird in the family Glareolidae. This species is named for its characteristic bronze-tipped feathers that are visible during flight. It is found living throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, inhabiting semi-arid savannas and woodlands. This is a nocturnal species which mainly feeds on ground-dwelling insects. Bronze-winged coursers are typically solitary, only forming monogamous pairs for breeding. A female may produce 2-3 eggs per clutch, and the chicks receive parental care from both sexes when young. The bronze-winged courser is considered of Least Concern for conservation status, and is thought to be a very stable species.

The bronze-winged courser is a species of small wading birds with long legs and short wings. The bronze-winged courser is the largest of the coursers, with a body length of 25-29 centimeters, a wingspan up to 58 centimeters, and body weight between 91 and 220 grams.

The bronze-winged courser can be recognized by its characteristic head markings and overall coloration. The adult plumage differs from the juvenile plumage in this species... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Masai Mara National Reserve

Double-banded Courser

Double-banded Courser

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rhinoptilus africanus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Three-banded Courser
LC

Three-banded Courser

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Rhinoptilus cinctus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Temminck's Courser
LC

Temminck's Courser

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cursorius temminckii

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Collared Pratincole
LC

Collared Pratincole

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Glareola pratincola

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Crowned Lapwing
LC

Crowned Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus coronatus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
African Wattled Lapwing
LC

African Wattled Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus senegallus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Spur-winged Lapwing
LC

Spur-winged Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus spinosus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Black-winged Lapwing
LC

Black-winged Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus melanopterus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Common Sandpiper
LC

Common Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actitis hypoleucos

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
African Jacana
LC

African Jacana

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actophilornis africanus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Wood Sandpiper
LC

Wood Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa glareola

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Green Sandpiper
LC

Green Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa ochropus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
2 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
3 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
<5%
4 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
5 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
6 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
7 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
<5%
8 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
9 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
10 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
11 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
12 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
13 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
14 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
15 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
16 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
17 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
18 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
19 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
20 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
21 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
22 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
Insufficient data
23 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
24 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
25 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
26 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
27 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Bronze-winged Courser in Masai Mara National Reserve?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Bronze-winged Courser sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Bronze-winged Courser in Masai Mara National Reserve?

October has the highest sighting rate for Bronze-winged Courser in Masai Mara National Reserve in our monthly data.

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