Collared Pratincole, Vorkstaartplevier, Rotflügel-Brachschwalbe, Perdiz-do-mar, Canastera Común
Spotted in the Alentejo region of Portugal. Collared Pratincole sound
The Collared Pratincole or Common Pratincole (Glareola pratincola) is a wader in the pratincole family, Glareolidae.
More photos at the bottom of this page:
Pratincoles are unusual among waders in that they typically hunt their insect prey on the wing like swallows, although they can also feed on the ground.
The Collared Pratincole is a bird of open country, and is often seen near water in the evening, hawking for insects. It is found in the warmer parts of Europe, southwest Asia and Africa. Its 2–4 eggs are laid on the ground. It is migratory, wintering in tropical Africa, and is rare north of the breeding range.
It is 24–28 centimetres (9.4–11 in) long with a 60–70 centimetres (24–28 in) wingspan. It has short legs, long pointed wings, a long forked tail, and a short bill, 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 other pratincoles, such as the Black-winged Pratincole and the Oriental Pratincole, which may occur in its range. The latter species also has a chestnut underwing, but is shorter-tailed.
The Collared Pratincole is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
Other synonyms:
Afrikaans: Rooivlerksprinkaanvoël
Azerbaijani: Haçaquyruq cüllüt
Breton: Ar glareel daneskell ruz
Catalan: Guatlereta de mar, Perdiu de mar
Catalan (Balears): Guatlereta de mar
Czech: Ouhorlík stepní
Welsh: Cwtiadwennol dorchog
Danish: Braksvale, Rødvinget Braksvale
German: Brachschwalbe, Braunflügel-Brachschwalbe, Rotflügel-Brachschwal, Rotflügelbrachschwalbe, Rotflügel-Brachschwalbe
English: Collared Pranticole, Collared Pratincole, Common Pratincole, East African Pratincole, European Pratincole, Pratincole, Redwinged Pratincole, Red-winged Pratincole, Somali Pratincole, Sudan Pratincole, Swallow Plover
Esperanto: kolumglareolo
Spanish: Canastera, Canastera Común, Corredora Común
Estonian: Kõnnu-pääsujooksur
Basque: Perdiu de mar, Pratinkola
Finnish: Pääskykahlaaja
Faroese: Vaðtritla
French: Glaréole à collier, Glaréole à collier blanc
Irish: Pratancól Muinceach
Galician: Perdiu de mar, Perdiz de mar
Croatian: Ridokrila Pješcarka
Hungarian: Székicsér
Icelandic: Þernutrítill
Italian: Pernice di mare, Pernice di mare comune
Japanese: nishitsubamechidori, Nishitsubame-chidori
Latin: Glareola pratincola, Glareola pratincola boweni, Glareola pratincola erlangeri, Glareola pratincola fulleborni, Glareola pratincola limbata, Glareola pratincola pratincola
Dutch: Vorkstaart plevier, Vorkstaartplevier
Norwegian: Brakksvale
Polish: zwirowiec lakowy
Portuguese: perdiz do mar, Perdiz-do-mar, Perdiz-do-mar-d’asa-vermelha, Perdiz-do-mar-europeia
Portuguese (Brazil): Perdiz-do-mar
Romansh: Glariel da l’ala cotschna
Russian: Lugovaya Tirkushka
Sardinian: Caitta
Slovak: Prieložník stepný
Slovenian: rjava komatna tekica, rjavoperuta komatna tekica
Albanian: Dallëndyshe deti
Serbian: crvenokrili zijavac, Zijavac, zijavac ogrlicar, crvenokrili zijavac
Swedish: Rödvingad vadarsvala, Vadarsvala
Swahili: Bwabwaja
Zulu: iWamba
Travel Birdwatching Holiday Alentejo, Vacation Portugal for birders to see birds on your trip