Australian Pratincole

Identification

The Australian pratincole is a medium-sized slender shorebird with long legs, long pointed wings and a short decurved bill. It is 19–24 cm (7.5–9.4 in) long, has a wingspan of 50–60 cm (20–24 in) and weighs 55–75 g (1.9–2.6 oz).<p>The sexes look alike however their breeding and non-breeding plumage differs.<p>Breeding plumage – The head, neck, breast and upperparts are a sandy brown grading. The wings are pointed and black and there is a black loral strip. The chin and throat are white and the breast is a sandy brown. The bill is bright red with a black base and the iris is dark brown. Legs and feet are grey to black.<p>Non-breeding plumage – This plumage is not well known as there are also effects from seasonal and individual variation. The loral stripe is fainter than when in breeding plumage and the base of the bill is paler. The upperparts are grey-brown with sandy-buff fringes. Sometimes there are dark flecks at the borders of the pale throat.<p>Juvenile – The plumage is similar to a non-breeding adult but a slightly paler sandy brown colour. The lores lack the black colour and the forehead, crown and nape are streaked dark brown. The bill is grey-black with a faint reddish base.<p>In flight – The upperbody and inner wing are sandy brown with black on the outer wing. The tail is square-cut with the upper-tail coverts and sides of the tail white.<p>The Australian pratincole is slightly slimmer and smaller in size with longer legs than oriental pratincole (Glareola maldivarum). Juveniles with worn plumage and birds in non-breeding plumage could also be confused with the oriental pratincole

Taxonomy

The Australian pratincole belongs to the family Glareolidae. It is monotypic within the genus Stiltia.<p>Pratincole, Arnhem Land grouse, Australian courser, roadrunner (not to be confused with the genus of North American cuckoos Geococcyx), nankeen plover, swallow-plover.

Scientific name

Glareola isabella

Authority

(Vieillot, 1816)

Order

Charadriiformes

Family

Glareolidae

Genus

Glareola

Range and habitat

The habitat of the Australian pratincole is treeless, open and sparse wooded plains, grasslands, claypans and gibberstone. Most of these areas are usually in arid and semi-arid rainfall zones. They are also sometimes found around the margins of wetlands, creeks, river beds, bore drains, lagoons, springs, claypans and sewage farms. During the breeding season they need scattered low shrubland as the chicks use the shrubs to hide and shelter in.

Breeding range

AU : tropical to subtropical open plains of n, c to inland se Australia: ne WA to w QLD and c NSW

Non-breeding range

to tropical open fields of Java, Sulawesi region, Lesser Sundas, c, s Moluccas and New Guinea region (except n)

Migration

Complete migrants

Behavior

Migration pattern: Complete migrants.

Conservation

Population trend: stable.

Population trend

stable