Australian Pratincole

Images ©:
Mark Antos | The State of Victoria, Department of Environment and Primary Industry/McCann | The State of Victoria, Department of Environment and Primary Industry/McCann

Stiltia isabella

Medium-sized bird, up to 24 cm. Breeding plumage: head, neck, breast and upperparts are a sandy brown grading. Wings are pointed and black with a black strip. Chin and throat are white. Breast is sandy brown. Bill is bright red with a black base. Iris is dark brown. Legs and feet are grey to black. Non-breeding plumage: base of the bill is paler. Upperparts are grey-brown with sandy-buff fringes. Sometimes there are dark flecks at the borders of the pale throat.

Details
Type
Bird
Group
Animals
Pratincole
Biology

Clutch size is two. They are monogamous and stay together during the breeding season. Eggs are laid on bare ground in a scrape, which can be on stony ground and if the ground is soft it will make a small depression. Nest is sometimes ringed with small stones or sheep droppings, small pebbles, dry plant material or rabbit droppings. Both sexes incubate the eggs and care for the young.

Distinctive Markings

Long legs. Long pointed wings. Short decurved bill.

Taxonomy
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Charadriiformes
Family
Glareolidae
Genus
Stiltia
Species
isabella

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

The Australian Pratincole is also known as 'Roadrunner'. On the ground, it is like a plover, running and darting along on its long legs catching insects. However, in flight it is more like a tern, flying elegantly with long, narrow wings.

Interesting Facts
Diet

Carnivore. Feeds on inscects, such as spiders and centipedes. It has active salt-glands, which enable it to drink both fresh and saline water.

Habitat

Found in open inland plains, sparsely wooded plains and tussock grasslands, and commonly found close to water. It is usually found in arid and semi-arid rainfall zones and mainly in the lowlands.

Native Status
Native to Australia
Audio
Sounds
Sweet whistling "weeteet" or shrill "quirriepeet".