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Probably the most exciting birding encounter of our holiday was a flock of collared (red-winged) pratincoles (about 200 strong) that we found in the same spot every day for a week. On the fourth day they sat in the road, catching meals on-the-hop from a hatch of grasshoppers. We could get to within a few metres before they would fly off and again settle in the road at the back of a passing vehicle.

Hi Johan

Awesome sighting

I remember looking for these guys every time I went to park but to no avail (we even spent an entire day at Englehart Dam waiting for them to pitch up). Then on my last visit in Jan 2006 before I came out to the UK we saw hundreds of them sitting in the road outside Mopani Camp, with hundreds more flying about Pioneer Dam. It never rains it pours!

Fuzz

Rooibosrant Dam, 19 Oct 07
This is not nearly the same quality as Johan’s shot…was very far (had to crop) and the light was terrible …… but this was my first sighting of this bird. Is this a rare sighting for Kruger? According to my SASOL guide they are common summer visitors.

I saw this past weekend Collared Pratincoles at Shilolweni Dam just South of Tshokwane. They were sitting in the short grass close to the damwall.

I have never seen them so far South in KNP.

Mads, expect to see the RWP (CP) all along the low-laying areas thoughout Natal, so far south as the northern parts of the Eastern Cape. In KNP expect to see it throughout, except maybe the north western parts.

There you have it - all compass points used to describe an area

We had some great sightings of breeding Collared Pratincoles on a sprouting cane sugar field just out side of Mtunzini, KZN.






Collared Pratincole
Glareola pratincola

Status: This species is near threatened and a generally uncommon inter-Africa migrant present July to February.

Habitat: Mostly on floodplains and estuaries, always close to water.

Food: Insects, and mainly feeds while airborne during day time and on moonlit nights.

Call: Shrill harsh chattering notes.

Breeding: Monogamous and breeds in colonies. Nests are a loose shallow scrape on the soil and the eggs are very difficult to see.

Wow, some absolutely beautiful pics here,

now almost embarrassed to put mine on that we saw from the Matambeni Hide overlooking Engelhard Dam in Feb this year.

Large

hi

saw it last july in Chobe

what is it??

Redwinged Partincole is my guess

Maybe Collared Pratincole ??

Going with Collared Pratincole

My 14-yr old Sasol bird guide (the only one I've got at work ) says that the collared pratincole and the redwinged pratincole are the same species (Glareola pratincola. So you're all right!

Now that I look, my new Roberts says the same. Hehe... Darn! The first time I try to look slightly knowledgable on a bird thread and it totally backfires...

Redwinged is the old name and now Collared the new name of this bird.

We saw them flying around over the Engelhard Dam from the Matambeni Hide near Letaba this year.

A flock of these were in attendance on the sand flats in front of Shimuwini in December 2002. Probably still a very good spot to look for them? I volunteer to have another look for them in January when I am there