Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Small Pratincole (Glareola lactea)
Small Pratincole

Small Pratincole

Glareola lactea

The small pratincole, also known as the little pratincole or small Indian pratincole, is a diminutive member of the pratincole family, Glareolidae. This bird is characterized by its short legs, long pointed wings, and a brief tail. Its plumage is primarily pale grey, with a brown crown atop its head. The wings exhibit a grey hue above, with striking black primaries and a pattern of black and white bars on the rear edge of the inner flight feathers. The underwings contrast sharply in black, while the tail is white with a defining black terminal triangle. The belly maintains a pristine white.

Identification Tips

When observing the small pratincole, note its small stature, measuring only 16.5–18.5 cm in length with a wingspan ranging from 42–48 cm. Its short bill, an adaptation for aerial feeding, and swift-like flight may lead to momentary confusion with swifts or swallows when seen in the air.

Habitat

The small pratincole is a species that thrives in open country landscapes. It is frequently spotted in proximity to bodies of water, particularly in the evening hours.

Distribution

This bird is a resident breeder across a swath of South Asia, with its range extending through India, Western Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Behaviour

Pratincoles are unique among waders due to their propensity to hunt insects in flight, akin to swallows. They are also capable of feeding on the ground. The small pratincole is often observed near water during dusk, engaged in the pursuit of insects.

Breeding

The breeding season for the small pratincole spans from December to March. It selects gravel or sand banks adjacent to rivers and lakes to lay its clutch, which typically consists of 2–4 eggs nestled within a ground scrape. Notable breeding areas include regions in northern Karnataka and northern Kerala.

Diet and Feeding

Insects form the primary diet of the small pratincole. It employs its aerial agility to capture prey on the wing but can also forage on the ground when necessary.

Conservation status

The small pratincole is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating a stable population without immediate threats to its survival.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Small Pratincoles on Birda

Sightings
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Prashant Kkumar
Prashant Kkumar
20 Jun 2024 - 9:29am
India

More Coursers, Pratincoles

A photo of a Indian Courser (Cursorius coromandelicus)

Indian Courser

Cursorius coromandelicus
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Patricia L
Very encouraging birding app
Easy to use, fun to see progress and encouraging to receive feedback from other users.
Leonie
We've been waiting for an App like this
Excellent! We've been waiting for an app like this! Thank you! It would be nice if you could assign additional birds to sessions later!
Madstherangers
A mordern game changer
Birda is an awesome app, its updated the world of birding to the modern day with a fun and easy to use app. It’s engaging and allows positive interaction with fellow bird lovers!
Viperray5
Loving it
I really enjoy being able to interact with other birders on this platform! This seems like a great way to meet other birders and find some new spots.
778
Great bird recording
For a while I’ve been trying to find an app to easily record bird lists and day out and struggled to find one that I like. Birda is great for this, straightforward and a great community!
Mike T
Sense of Community
A great app, which is continually being improved. What really comes through is the passion of those behind the app. The sense of community is brilliant, so much help and support provided to new and/or in experienced birders.
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
Alex J
Friendly and helps to identify birds
Great birding app, good for logging your sightings, also has nice species guide. I'm enjoying the social aspect more than I expected, everyone seems friendly and helps to identify unknown birds. Good mix of newbies and experienced users.
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life Pokémon go.
Emma L
App got me interested in birding!
Super friendly community <3 This app got me interested in birding! It teaches me cool stuff and its super friendly, and fun :) The species guide is really developing my knowledge, and i love seeing cool new birds from round the world!
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.