Australian Pratincole
Glareola isabella
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). The sexes look alike but their breeding and non-breeding plumage differs. In their 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. Voice: The Australian pratincole is known to call during summer thunderstorms. The calls are sweet or plaintive whistles, or very soft and muted trills and loud sharp notes. No difference in calls between males and females has been identified. Four different types of calls have been clearly identified: Flight call — sweet whistling upslurred weeteet or quirriepeet.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Black-winged Pratincole
Glareola nordmanni
It is 24–28 cm (9.4–11.0 in) long, with short legs, long pointed wings and a forked tail. It has a short bill, which is an adaptation to aerial feeding. The back and head are brown, and the wings are brown with black flight feathers. The belly is white and the underwings are black. Very good views are needed to distinguish this species from other pratincoles, such as the collared pratincole and the oriental pratincole which may occur in its range. It is marginally larger than the collared pratincole, and is shorter-tailed and longer legged.
ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Play today's Daily BirdPhotos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Australian Pratincole and Black-winged Pratincole.