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SPECIES PROFILE
Oriental Pratincole (Glareola maldivarum)
Glareola
IUCN STATUS
Least Concern
CONSERVATION STATUS
Least Concern
CLASS
Aves
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Indian subcontinent southeast Asia
DIET
Insectivorous
HABITAT
Grasslands wetlands near water
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Aves
ORDER
Charadriiformes
FAMILY
Glareolidae
GENUS
Glareola
📋 Description
SIZE
23-24 cm long 60-80 g
COLORATION
Brown upperparts white underparts forked tail
ADAPTATIONS
Agile flight for hawking insects ground nesting
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Grasslands wetlands near water
DIET
Insectivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Indian subcontinent southeast Asia
REPRODUCTION
Lays 2-3 eggs in ground scrapes incubated 17-19 days
DIET DETAILS
Insects caught in flight
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Habitat loss agricultural intensification
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Oriental Hawkers: Oriental Pratincoles hawk with 70-gram bodies catching 20 grams of insects daily in Gujarat's grasslands. Their forked tails aid agility.
2
Ground Nesters: These pratincoles cover 2000 sq km in Maharashtra's wetlands nesting on open ground. Pesticides threaten their prey.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Bhigwan Bird Sanctuary in Maharashtra
Jamnagar in Gujarat
Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary in Gujarat
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
October-March Dry season concentrates insects for spotting pratincoles
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Watch oriental pratincoles hawking insects in flocks over fields
