Pratincoles · Shorebirds
Collared Pratincole
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Glareola pratincola
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How to recognize it
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Smaller than a pigeon; long pointed wings
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Brown head and back, white belly; chestnut underwings look dark from below
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Slightly forked tail; swallow-like flight, catching insects near water in the evening
About the species
Brown across the head, back and wings, the Collared Pratincole has a white belly. In flight, its chestnut underwings show beneath long, pointed wings, though they can look dark from below. A slightly forked tail and short bill add to its distinctive profile. Where their ranges overlap, its tail is longer than the Oriental Pratincole’s.
It catches insects on the wing, with a flight that recalls a swallow’s, but also feeds on the ground. On foot, it moves quickly, jerking its head and neck and rocking its rear. The sources do not describe its calls, so its movements and feeding are the clearest clues to its habits.
It uses open country, from dry marshes near water to steppe with sparse ground cover. In the cooler morning and evening, it hunts insects near livestock, taking mostly moths at dusk. It migrates to tropical Africa for winter.
Where to find
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Near domestic herds in the cooler morning or evening hours, watch for aerial insect hunting.
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In steppe with sparse ground cover, watch a Collared Pratincole catch insects on the ground.
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During the breeding season, scan open ground near water for a colony nesting in shallow scrapes.
