Glareola cinerea
The Grey Pratincole (Glareola cinerea) is a distinctive shorebird, measuring approximately 18-20 cm (7-8 inches) in length, known for its agile, swallow-like flight. Its plumage is predominantly a soft, dove-grey on the upperparts, contrasting sharply with its pure white underparts. A key identification feature is the prominent black stripe extending from the lores through the eye, accentuated by a clean white supercilium above it. Its short, black bill, long pointed wings with black primarie...
Found on sandbanks, mudflats, gravel bars, and rocky islets of large rivers and lakes, primarily in open country and low-lying areas. It strongly favors freshwater environments.
Feeds almost exclusively on flying insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, termites, ants, flies, and moths, caught on the wing or occasionally from the ground.
The Grey Pratincole is primarily diurnal, though some crepuscular activity has been noted, roosting communally on open ground or sandbars. It employs a distinctive foraging strategy, primarily hawking insects on the wing with remarkable aerial dexterity, much like a swallow or tern, but also occa...
The Grey Pratincole is endemic to West and Central Africa, primarily along major river systems. Its breeding and resident range extends from Senegal and Mali eastward through Burkina Faso, Niger, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Nigeria, continuing into Chad and the Central African Republic. Further south...
Least Concern
- Often called the 'Swallow-Plover' due to its unique combination of shorebird anatomy and swallow-like aerial hunting techniques. - Despite being a shorebird, it spends a significant amount of time catching insects in flight, a behavior more typical of swallows, swifts, or terns. - Their short l...