pratincole

A pratincole is a wading bird in the family Glareolidae, which also includes the coursers. There are eight species of pratincole, found in the warmer parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. They are small to medium-sized birds with long, pointed wings, long legs, and short necks. Their plumage is typically drab, with brown or grey upperparts and paler underparts, though some species have brightly colored markings on their throat or belly.

Pratincoles are often found in open country, such as grasslands, savannas, and semi-deserts, usually near water. They are active birds, often seen running or flying low over the ground in search of food. Their diet consists mainly of insects, which they catch on the wing or pick up from the ground. They are also known to eat spiders, scorpions, and small reptiles.

These birds are generally colonial nesters, often laying their eggs in shallow scrapes on the ground. Both parents share incubation and chick-rearing duties. When threatened, pratincole chicks can feign injury to lure predators away from the nest, a behavior known as a distraction display.

The most widespread species is the European or common pratincole, Glareola pratincola, which breeds in southern Europe and North Africa and winters in tropical Africa. Other species include the Australian pratincole, Glareola maldivarum, and the Collared pratincole, Glareola nuchalis. Their conservation status varies by species, with some considered of least concern while others face threats from habitat loss and degradation.