[4] Although classed as waders, these are birds of dry open country, preferably semi-desert, where they typically hunt their insect prey[4] (usually Harvester Termites)[5] by running on the ground.

[6] Females and males look similar, while juveniles lack the rufous colouring, the facial stripes, and the grey hind crown of the adults.

Its genus, Cursorius, contains five species, all of which live in the arid parts of the Old World and display distinctive features such as long legs and short wings.

[2] Specifically, it is found in most of South Africa and Namibia, and in parts of Angola (Southwest) and Botswana[11] (Kalahari Basin).

[5][6][7] It is often referred as locally nomad based on its movements at the landscape level, possibly travelling due to fluctuations in rainfall.

[5][13][14] Although it is classified as least concern, Its population is declining, potentially due to its habitat loss on arable lands, inadequate farming practices such as intense irrigation and overuse of pesticides, and other anthropogenic disturbances.

[7][14] Even though the chicks are considered precocial,[9] they lack the heat-loss mechanisms present in the adults to survive the hot climate, and thus need shade to avoid overheating.

[9] Often referred to as inconspicuous, this bird is mostly quiet on the ground, but becomes vocal when flying, producing a loud flight call.

[9][16] The yearly frequency of rainfalls affects the food availability and quality, which is the main reason the Burchell's courser travels around.