Collared Pratincole

The Collared Pratincole, or Common Pratincole, Glareola pratincola, is a wader in the pratincole family, Glareolidae.

Their most unusual feature of the pratincoles is that although classed as waders they typically hunt their insect prey on the wing like swallows, although they can also feed on the ground.

These are birds of open country, and are often seen near water in the evening, hawking for insects. The pratincoles are found in warmer parts of Europe, south west Asia and Africa. Their 2-4 eggs are laid on the ground. They are migratory, wintering in tropical Africa. They are rare north of the breeding range.

They have short legs, long pointed wings and long forked tails. They have short bills, which is an adaptation to aerial feeding. The back and head are brown, and the wings are brown with darker flight feathers. The belly is white. The underwings are chestnut, but look dark below.

Very good views are needed to distinguish this species from rarer pratincoles, such as Black-winged Pratincole and Oriental Pratincole, which may occur in its range. The latter species also has a chestnut underwing, but is shorter-tailed.