Context: 

Jerdon’s Courser has not been visually spotted in over a decade. This courser is a restricted-range endemic found locally in India in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh.

Background:

Once thought extinct, the species was miraculously rediscovered in 1986 near Reddipalli village in Kadapa, prompting the establishment of the Sri Lankamalleswara wildlife sanctuary.

About Jerdon’s courser :

1. The Jerdon’s courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus) is a nocturnal cursorial (adapted for walking and running) bird endemic to India.
2. The bird was discovered by the surgeon-naturalist Thomas C. Jerdon in 1848 but not seen again until its rediscovery in 1986.
3. The Jerdon’s courser is categorised as “Critically Endangered” by BirdLife International and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resource (IUCN) because it is believed to have a small and declining population.
4. Information on its distribution, population, and habitat requirements is sparse for numerous reasons: its nocturnal habits, nature of its habitat, its shy habits and extreme rarity