COLLARED PRATINCOLE

Glareola pratincola

English: Collared Pratincole.
German: Rotflügel-Brachschwalbe.
French: Glaréole à collier.

Clasificación/Clasification

Order: Charadriiformes.
Family: Glareolidae.

Longitud/Length

24-28 cm.

Envergadura/Wingspan

60-70 cm.

Aves relacionadas/Similar species

It is not possible to confuse the Collared Pratincole with any other species in the Iberian Peninsula.

Sexo/Sexing

Collared Pratincole, both sexes have very similar plumage, making it difficult to differentiate between them. The adult male has a black-colored gorget (region between the base of the upper jaw of the beak and the eye). On the other hand, in the adult female the gorget would be brown.

The color of the rectrices can help in more pronounced cases, as adult males have a darker (black) color at the tip than adult females who can be more brownish.

Edad/Ageing

It is possible to recognize 3 different ages:

Juvenile specimen: these individuals have a large brown-colored tip on their upper parts, wings, and tail and a dark subterminal band. They have brown streaks on their head and throat. The fork formed by the rectrices is less pronounced than in adult individuals.

2nd year specimen: in this case, they are quite close to the adult individual. They are only recognized in the case of retaining (without molting) some juvenile secondary coverts (from the previous plumage).

Adult specimen: these individuals have uniform brown-colored upper parts and wing coverts. A thin dark line appears on the throat like a bib. Since feathers of the same generation lack contrast between new and old secondary coverts, although there may be contrast between primaries due to molt suspension in the autumn months. Finally, the tail fork is longer than in juvenile individuals.

Muda/Moult

Collared Pratincole perform complete post-nuptial and post-juvenile molts, which start in the breeding areas and stop before migration to finish in the wintering areas. Some juvenile individuals retain some secondary coverts. Both age types have a prenuptial molt that covers the body feathers with which they acquire the nuptial plumage.

Configuración del plumaje/Plumage configuration

Primaries: 10 per wing.
Secundaries: 14-16 per wing.
Rectrices: 12.

Observaciones/Remarks

Link: http://blascozumeta.com/

Medidas/Measures

Biometría/Biometrics

Adult specimen:
Beak tip to pupil center:
Tarsus:

Adult specimen

1.- Left wing primaries. 2.- Primaries. 3.- Details of P2, P3, and P4 primaries. 4.- Secondaries. 5.- Secondaries S1-S7. 6.- Secondaries S8-S14. 7.- Details of the tip of the secondaries. 8.- Details of the tip of S8-S9. 9.- Primaries, secondaries, and tertials. 10.- Details of the generational change due to molt in S8 and S9 secondaries. 11.- Details of the tip of the molted secondaries (adult plumage). 12.- Details of the tertials. 13.- Primaries, secondaries, and tertials. 14.- Primaries, secondaries, tertials. Primary coverts, greater coverts. 15.- Details of the greater coverts. 16.- Details of the primary coverts. 17.- Primaries, secondaries, tertials. Primary coverts, secondary coverts (G, M, and L). Alulas. 18.- Secondary coverts (G, M, and L). 19.- Details of the shaft of P10. 20.- Primary coverts. 21.- Secondary coverts. 22.- Primary infra-coverts and secondary infra-coverts. 23.- Rectrices. 24.- Rectrices. 25.- Details of the rectrices. 26.- Details of R6. 27.- Left scapulae. 28.- Throat feathers.

COLLARED PRATINCOLE

Medidas/Measures

Adult specimen

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply