9

Australian Pratincole (Stiltia isabella) Alternate name(s): "Australian Courser", "Swallow-plover", "Arnhemland Grouse", "Nankeen Plover", "Roadrunner", "Rainbird*" Size: 22-24 cm; wing span 50-60 cm Weight: 55-75 g

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Australian Pratincoles have a predominantly light greyish-brown plumage. The head (except for the throat) neck, mantle and most of the wing feathers are light greyish-brown. A lighter, cream-coloured chest band contrasts with the dark-brown belly, while the vent is also cream-coloured. The lores and wing tips are black. The irises are dark, the bill is pink with a black tip and the legs and feet are dark-grey. Juveniles have a lightly mottled, somewhat darker plumage and an all-black bill. Twitcher's tip Compared to Oriental Pratincoles, Australian Pratincoles have longer legs that protrude beyond the tip of the square tail in-flight. They also have darker, greyish underwings with light-grey tips. Although quite different when seen sitting on the ground, because of their raptor-like wing shape in-flight Australian Pratincoles can be easily mistaken for Nankeen Kestrels.

Taxonomy, classification See Australian Pratincole at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Australian Pratincole is available HERE . Australian Pratincoles are found only in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia. Australian Pratincoles are migratory birds that breed exclusively in Australia. They migrate to Australia from the North, from Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and also tropical islands. In Australia their range is very complex - see a field guide for details. They are found mostly along a narrow coastal strip in northern WA, parts of the NT, parts of western QLD (but also a narrow strip along the tropical East coast) and in the semi-arid to arid areas of the eastern half of SA (including the Lake Eyre Basin and the area around Adelaide, SA) and the western half of NSW (including the Murray-Darling Basin). In Australia, Australian Pratincoles have a preference for semi-arid to arid open plains, i.e. open grassland and gibber plains, but they are also found in ephemeral wetlands and often by roadsides. They can also be found regularly on fallow fields (basically wherever there is hardly any visible plant growth).

Sightings Click here for sighting information We have seen Australian Pratincoles in various locations on trips to inland NSW, especially in the NSW outback (beyond Bourke). They were found in various types of habitat, from a shallow ephemeral wetland to roadsides and gibber, in groups ranging from 2 to 6 individuals that were constantly communicating with each other. More than 10 birds were also spotted by us at Goran Lake, an ephemeral lake 30 km South of Gunnedah, NSW, in December 2012. Next, 4 Australian Pratincoles were found by us on the edge of a shallow puddle on a fallow field between Burren Junction and Pilliga, NSW, in December 2015. A. Dowe reports spotting a pair of Australian Pratincoles on a broadacre farm 5 km South-East of Bellata, NSW, in May 2013. A single bird was spotted by us returning to the same location in September 2013. In the past, up to five pairs were observed on the same farm, on (often fallow) fields. C. Charles reports spotting Australian Pratincoles in Astrebla Downs NP, South-West QLD, in August 2013. B. Hensen reports spotting Australian Pratincoles at Fogg Dam NR, NT, in August 2013. C. Hayne reports spotting small numbers of Australian Pratincoles occasionally at various locations near Moree, in various types of habitat (from ephemeral wetlands to empty irrigation dams and fallow fields). J. Greaves reports spotting an Australian Pratincole at Alyangula, Groote Eylandt, NT, in September 2014. H. Mouritsen reports spotting Australian Pratincoles in two different locations near Darwin, NT, in October 2015. M. Mearns reports spotting Australian Pratincoles near Dajarra, far-western QLD, in November 2012.

Photos

ADULT

Near-frontal view of an Australian Pratincole in its typical stance, with the tail high up
[Goran Lake, NSW, December 2012]

Near-frontal view of an Australian Pratincole (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Dajarra, QLD, November 2012]

Near-lateral view of an Australian Pratincole (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Near Moree, NSW, December 2013]

Near-lateral view of an Australian Pratincole (photo courtesy of C. Charles)
[Astrebla Downs NP, QLD, August 2013]

Lateral view of an Australian Pratincole
[Sturt NP, NSW, September 2012]

Australian Pratincole, here in a more hunched posture
[Sturt NP, NSW, September 2012]

Near-dorsal view of an Australian Pratincole
[Near Bourke, NSW, September 2012]

Dorsal view of an Australian Pratincole; this is one of the 4 birds whose calls were recorded on 19 December 2015
[Near Burren Junction, NSW, December 2015]

Frontal view of an Australian Pratincole in flight
[Goran Lake, NSW, December 2012]

Near-frontal view of an Australian Pratincole in flight (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Goran Lake, NSW, December 2012]

Lateral view of an Australian Pratincole in flight
[Goran Lake, NSW, December 2012]

Lateral view of an Australian Pratincole in flight
[Goran Lake, NSW, December 2012]

Near-dorsal view of an Australian Pratincole in flight
[Goran Lake, NSW, December 2012]

Dorsal view of an Australian Pratincole in flight (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Goran Lake, NSW, December 2012]

View onto the back of an Australian Pratincole in flight, showing the white rump and black tail feathers (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Goran Lake, NSW, December 2012]

Australian Pratincole drinking
[Goran Lake, NSW, December 2012]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile Australian Pratincole - note the all-black bill (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Fogg Dam NR, NT, August 2013]

Judging by its inconspicuous colours, this Australian Pratincole may be a juvenile bird
[Sturt NP, NSW, September 2012]

Behaviour

Australian Pratincoles are often found in habitats without vegetation, such as e.g. gibber, fallow fields, or, as shown here, roadsides (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Near Moree, NSW, December 2013]

This Australian Pratincole is ducking like a duck
[Goran Lake, NSW, December 2012]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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