The Pratincoles are a group of birds which together with the coursers and Egyptian Plover make up the family Glareolidae. They have short legs, very long pointed wings and long forked tails. “Aves” redirects here. ... Species Pluvianus aegyptius Cursorius cursor Cursorius temminckii Cursorius coromandelius Cursorius rufus Rhinoptilus africanus Rhinoptilus cinctus Rhinoptilus chalcopterus Rhinoptilus bitorquatus The Coursers are a group of birds which together with the pratincoles make up the family Glareolidae. ... Binomial name Pluvianus aegyptius (Linnaeus, 1758) The Egyptian Plover, Pluvianus aegyptius, is a wader in the pratincole and courser family, Glareolidae. ... Genera Pratincoles Stiltia Glareola Coursers Pluvianus Cursorius Rhinoptilus Glareolidae is a family of birds in the wader suborder Charadri. ...

Their most unusual feature for birds classed as waders is that they typically hunt their insect prey on the wing like swallows, although they can also feed on the ground. Their short bills are an adaptation to aerial feeding. Families Scolopacidae Rostratulidae Jacanidae Thinocoridae Pedionomidae Burhinidae Chionididae Pluvianellidae Ibidorhynchidae Recurvirostridae Haematopodidae Charadriidae Dunlin (Calidris alpina). ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Genera Many, see text. ...

Their flight is fast and graceful like a swallow or a tern, with many twists and turns to pursue their prey. They are most active at dawn and dusk, resting in the warmest part of the day. Genera Sterna (Gelochelidon) (Hydroprogne) (Thalasseus) Chlidonias Phaetusa Anous Procelsterna Gygis Larosterna Terns are seabirds in the family Sternidae, previously considered a subfamily Sterninae of the gull family Laridae. ...

Like the coursers, the pratincoles are found in warmer parts of the Old World, from southern Europe and Africa east through Asia to Australia. Species breeding in temperate regions are long distance migrants. World map showing the location of Europe. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ... Flock of Barnacle Geese during autumn migration Many species of birds undertake seasonal journeys of various lengths, a phenomenon known as Bird migration. ...

Their two to four eggs are laid on the ground in a bare scrape.

The Australian Pratincole, the only species not in the genus Glareola, is more terrestrial than the other pratincoles, and may be intermediate between this group and the coursers.

Species list

• Australian Pratincole Stiltia isabella
• Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola
• Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum
• Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni
• Madagascar Pratincole Glareola ocularis
• Rock Pratincole Glareola nuchalis
• Grey Pratincole Glareola cinerea
• Little Pratincole Glareola lactea

Binomial name Glareola pratincola Linnaeus, 1766 The Collared Pratincole or Common Pratincole, Glareola pratincola, is a wader in the pratincole family, Glareolidae. ... Binomial name Glareola maldivarum Forster, 1795 The Oriental Pratincole, Glareola maldivarum, is a wader in the pratincole family, Glareolidae. ... Binomial name Glareola nordmanni Fischer von Waldheim, 1842 The Black-winged Pratincole, Glareola nordmanni, is a wader in the pratincole bird family, Glareolidae. ... Binomial name Glareola lactea Temminck, 1820 The Little Pratincole, Glareola lactea, is a small wader in the pratincole family, Glareolidae. ...

Reference

• Shorebirds by Hayman, Marchant and Prater ISBN 0-395-60237-8