NON-INDIGENOUS BRITISH BIRDS. 



Family CHARADRIIDyE. Genus Glareola. 



Sub-family CHARADRIIN.H. 



C O M M ON PRATINCOLE. 



Glareola pratincola (^Linnceus). 



(British : Rare abnormal spring and autumn migrant.) 



Single Brooded. Laying season, May. 



Breeding area : South-western Palsearctic region. 

 The Common Pratincole breeds sparingly in Savoy, in 

 France (principally in the south and central portions), 

 Spain, the Balearic Islands, possibly the west coast of 

 Italy, in Sicily, the lower valley of the Danube, Greece, 

 Asia Minor, Palestine, Persia, and Russian Turkestan 

 as far as Ala-Kul on the frontiers of Mongolia. South 

 of the Mediterranean it breeds in North Africa, from 

 Morocco eastwards to Tunis, and possibly further. 



Breeding habits : The Pratincole is a somewhat 

 early migrant, reaching its breeding grounds in North 

 Africa and South Europe in April. It is a gregarious 

 bird during passage, but can scarcely be considered so 

 at all of its breeding grounds, although many scattered 

 nests may be found within a comparatively small area 

 in some colonies, much closer together in others. Of 

 the pairing habits of this bird nothing appears to be 

 known. It probably mates for life, and returns season 

 after season to certain places to breed. Its haunts are 

 marshes, sandy plains, lagoons, and low flat islands, the 

 latter being preferred wherever choice is possible. The 

 Pratincole makes no nest, laying its eggs on the black, 

 hard, sun-baked mud, without even a hollow to hold 

 them. When their breeding grounds are invaded the 

 Pratincoles are gregarious enough, and flocking together 

 from all parts of the scattered colony become restless 



