SANParks.org Forums

Pratincole, black-winged; Glareola nordmanni

These pratincoles are often found in large flocks; one particularly large flock estimated at 800 000 birds (Free State in Dec 1991). Virtually the entire world population migrate to Southern Africa from an area in and around Kazakhstan; the main arrival taking place during November. They again depart for their breeding grounds in March and April.



They feed mostly in the early morning and evening, loafing around for the rest of the day. Mainly eats insects: locusts, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, wasps, bees, flies, ants and cockroaches.

Has anyone else seen BW Pratincole in KNP? Adam Welz saw them near Letaba in December, around week later we saw one North of Shingwedzi at Grootvlei Dam.

This month I have seen a flock of 30 them on the Krugersdorp-Hekpoort road, near the turnoff to Kromdraai, however this is well within their range, whereas KNP is not....

Cheers

Niall.

Collared Pratincole is quite common along the Letaba river system.

Anyhoo, here are some Black-winged Pratincoles in flight at Kgomo-Kgomo.

Black-winged pratincoles feed on insects like beetles, ants, grasshoppers, locusts etc. They often catch airborne insects in the air, flying low over ground or water. They are remarkably accurate and in this photograph you can see the size of the prey they go for. One sometimes sees them foraging very high, often in flocks of hundreds or even thousands of birds. They usually hunt in early morning and late evening, often after dusk, but if food is about, they'll go at it any time of day.




The global population is currently estimated at around 45,000 birds. However, a flock of 800,000 birds in Orange Free State in 1991 (mentioned elsewhere in this thread) indicates that the population was at some stage substantially larger. Recent decline in the total population of Black-winged Pratincole has caused its survival status to be re-evaluated and it is now considered to be facing the threat of extinction.

Black-winged Pratincole breeds mainly in the steppe and desert belt of Eurasia and spends the northern winter in Africa south of the equator. We see them here in South Africa only during our summer, November to March. This year I have seen the best flocks around Standerton ever with some congregations estimated at +1000 birds.



In the shot above of the same bird one can see a weird-looking set of paddles (probably for extra maneuverability) on the sides near the tail. I have never noticed these in any bird before! Anyone with more info as to what these are and the purpose thereof?

I have seen the largest flock at Baberspan in North West on friday 25th January 2013, on our CWAC weekend.
Definitely more than 3000 of them. They were sitting on the shore and 2 long islands on the eastern side of the pan close to the road. It started raining and they all flew up and left the pan flying in clouds of birds.This was the largest flock I have ever seen.