Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Oriental Pratincole
Glareola maldivarum
Oriental Pratincole (Glareola maldivarum) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Oriental Pratincole (Glareola maldivarum) is a member of the Glareolidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 75.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Glareolidae Coursers, Pratincoles
- Genus Glareola
- Species maldivarum
Where it lives
Patchily in temperate to tropical grassland near water of south to northeastern Asia: western India and Sri Lanka, southeastern Asia to Malay Pen., eastern, northeastern China, Philippines, Taiwan, eastern Siberia and southern, central Japan
Quick facts
- Weight
- 75.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Glareolidae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Oriental Pratincole is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Oriental Pratincole is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Oriental Pratincole (Glareola maldivarum) is a species of bird in the Glareolidae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, OR patchily in temperate to tropical grassland near water of s to ne Asia: w India and Sri Lanka, se Asia to Malay Pen., e, ne China, Philippines, Taiwan, e Siberia and s, c Japan.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 75.2 g, with a wing length of about 17.6 cm and a tail of around 7.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Oriental Pratincole?
The Oriental Pratincole is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 75.2 g.
Where does the Oriental Pratincole live?
The Oriental Pratincole is found across Europe & Northern Asia and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering PAL, OR patchily in temperate to tropical grassland near water of s to ne Asia: w India and Sri Lanka, se Asia to Malay Pen., e, ne China, Philippines, Taiwan, e Siberia and s, c Japan, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Oriental Pratincole belong to?
The Oriental Pratincole (Glareola maldivarum) belongs to the Glareolidae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Oriental Pratincole eat?
The Oriental Pratincole is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Oriental Pratincole migrate?
The Oriental Pratincole is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Oriental Pratincole endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Oriental Pratincole make?
1 real field recording of the Oriental Pratincole — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Oriental Pratincole's range?
The Oriental Pratincole has a mapped global range of about 6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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