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.
The Oriental Pratincole is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.
No, I’ve never seen an Oriental Pratincole, and, no, I had no idea what they looked like until I saw the pictures. And, yes, I would like to be in a position where I could twitch one because they are, apparently, seriously cool-looking birds. Charlie, can’t you find the time to chase a cool pratincole in your home country? More pictures are here. More
Oriental Pratincole is an uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant to Singapore. In Peninsular Malaysia it a resident as well as a migrant. The bird breeds in E Siberia, NE Mongolia, S Manchuria, China, India, Sri Lanka, S Japan, Taiwan, S Myanmar, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and as far south as Luzon. It can be seen in open country, coastal pools, lakes, by rivers and dry rice fields. This post is a cooperative effort between NaturePixels. More
5 million Oriental Pratincoles were recorded on Eighty Mile Beach in Australia's north-west by the Australasian Wader Studies Group. There had previously been no record of this magnitude and it is supposed that weather conditions caused much of the world's population of this species to congregate in one area. Oriental Pratincole 7mile.oggPlay video Lockyer Waters, SE Queensland, Australia References - 1. ^ BirdLife International (2004). Glareola maldivarum. 2006. More
Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum - Adult in breeding plumage Oriental Pratincole Photographer : More
The Oriental pratincole is resident, gregarious, crepuscular, and found on bare flats of large rivers and marshes, often near water. It keeps to flocks of 30- 40 or more, hawk insects in air like swallows. The white forked tail has black feathertips. Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum copyright Sumit Sen Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum copyright Sumit Sen Distribution: Widespread resident. More
ORIENTAL PRATINCOLE in WEST SUSSEX - an appraisal I believe Chris Batty has been spot-on with his appraisal of how we have looked into this occurrence. We have got so embroiled and concentrated on one feature (white trailing edge) that it has blinded us all from the obvious. More
On 27/04/2008 the French group found an Oriental Pratincole at JEO at dusk, next day the bird was not relocated. I then re-read the article in Dutch Birding 27:1-35 (2005) by G. Driessens & L. Svensson, referring back to some photographs that I made at JEO and Pivot Fields, there were two birds of that species photographed at Pivot Fields. More
Adult Oriental pratincole© Don Hadden / www.ardea.com Adult Oriental pratincole in breeding plumage© John Holmes / www.flpa-images.co.uk Pair of Oriental pratincoles in breeding plumage© Michelle & Peter Wong Oriental pratincole in flight© Michelle & Peter Wong Oriental pratincole calling© Don Hadden / www.ardea. More
After watching the Oriental Pratincole for a good few hours we were able to have a look at other areas on this fantastic reserve. The additional highlights were four Curlew Sandpiper (in breeding plumage), several Ruff, Avocets, Little-ringed Plover, Little Gull and good numbers of Yellow Wagtail. On our way back towards home we stopped at a site near Lincoln where we enjoyed views of Nightingale, Common Tern, Green Woodpecker. More
For the purposes of our bird news services, Oriental Pratincole is classed as Mega: species which have not yet occurred in the British Isles or are exceedingly rare, or are otherwise highly desirable. More