What is the National Bird of Tunisia?

The national bird of Tunisia is Cream-coloured courser which is found in different part of Tunisia. The bird’s name comes from its appearance, which resembles the colour of the deserts in the north of the country.

Scientific Classification

Higher classification: Shorebirds
Rank: Family
Scientific name: Glareolidae
Family: Glareolidae; CL Brehm, 1831

Physical Description

The cream coloured courser is a small bird with a wingspan of about 20 cm, about half the size of a sparrow. It has a long tail and grey feathers on its head and neck. It lives in dry areas such as deserts or sandy areas where there are no trees or bushes for cover. It feeds on insects, seeds and berries but also catches small birds by diving out of its hiding place before catching them in mid-air with its beak!

Facts about Cream Coloured Courser

• Cream coloured courser is the official symbol & native bird of Tunisia.
• The cream coloured courser was chosen as Tunisia’s national bird because it symbolises Tunisian culture, history and nature!
• The Cream Coloured Courser is a large bird with a distinctive black-and-white plumage.
• It has a long, slightly curved beak, a large head and a fleshy crop that gives it an unusual shape.
• The bird’s broad wings give it the ability to soar while its short legs allow it to run swiftly in short bursts.
• The bird feeds on insects, seeds and fruit. It also consumes the eggs of other birds and small reptiles.
• The average weight for a Cream Coloured Courser is between 1.1 and 1.3 kilograms, which is about 3 to 4 pounds.
• The life span of this bird is around 30 years, which means that they can live up to around 30 years old!
• This bird has white feathers on its head and chest that contrast with its black wings and tail.
• The Cream-coloured courser (Colius striatus) is a species of bird in the family Rallidae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay and Peru.
• Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest.

Why is Cream Coloured Courser the national bird of Tunisia?

The national bird of Tunisia is the cream coloured courser. It was chosen because it represents the country symbolically and visually. It also represents freedom, beauty and power.

It is also a beautiful bird that can be seen by everyone around the world so it represents Tunisia’s beauty and cultural heritage too.

It is a very common bird in the country, which makes it easy to find. It also represents the beauty of Tunisia and its richness in nature. So, due to all these facts it was declared as the national bird by the government of Tunisia.