- Stiltia isabella
Identification
In breeding plumage most of the bird is pale brown, with paler upper breast, throat, sides of neck, and white undertail coverts. Sides of lower breast/belly are dark, black to brown or chestnut. Primaries are black, as is underwing coverts, tail is white with black subterminal band seen from the upperside. When breeding, the bill is bright red on the proximal half, otherwise mostly black. Non breeding plumage is duller and browner.
Australian Pratincole lack the dark-rimmed white throat-patch of other pratincoles.
Distribution
Breeds in Australia except south-western part and south-eastern-most coastal region; winters to southern New Guinea and Greater Sundas. Vagrant in summer to New Zealand.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[2].
Habitat
Open inland plains, sparsely wooded plains, stony plains, tussock grasslands, arid and semi-arid areas, lowlands.
Behaviour
The diet includes mainly invertebrates.
The nest is sometimes lined with small pebbles, dry vegetation or rabbit dung or sometimes the eggs are laid on bare ground in a hollow. Both sexes incubate the eggs and brood the young.
References
- Pizzey, G. & Knight, F. 1997. Birds of Australia (Collins Field Guide). HarperCollins Publishers, London. ISBN 0-00-220132-1
- Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
- Birds in Backyards
