Family GLAREOLIDAE Brehm, 1831

Museums

Regional Maps

Introduction

The pratincoles and coursers are a small family of 18 species in five genera, distributed throughout the Old World (Dickinson 2003). Australia has two species in two different genera, represented by two of the worlds 37 ultrataxa. One Australian species, the Australian Pratincole Stiltia isabella, is endemic. The other, the Oriental Pratincole Pratincola maldivarum, disperses through Asia and migrates to Australia for the boreal winter. Both have short tails, one being slightly forked, the other square, and both have long swallow-like wings giving them graceful and acrobatic flight. Their efficient flight enables them to pursue flying invertebrates, as well as insuring a rapid migratory movement. Australian Pratincoles have long legs that aid them on the ground where they also feed.

Both species are primarily of drab in colouration, although each has variations in colour. Strong chestnuts and ochres predominate in Stiltia while cream, black and white are subtle additions to the plumage of the Pratincola. In each there is some red colouration on the bill. The sexes show little sexual dimorphism. All species are highly gregarious, often occurring in extremely large flocks. They can also be seen alone or pairs. Within Australia the two species are generally found near water, although Stiltia has more of an open, semi-desert distribution with occasion movements to wetter situations. Much of their feeding is done during the late evening as are their movements.

Only Stiltia breeds on the Australian continent. Nests occur in a shallow hollow on a patch of bare ground in an open situation. The clutch of oval eggs usually numbers two. Eggs typically blend in with the surrounding terrain, being well camouflaged. The base colour is creamy ochre and that is totally covered with slightly darker dots and spots. The young, like other Charadriiformes are precocial, nidifugous and ptilopaedic.

History of changes