Australian Pratincole
Stiltia isabella
Silhouette: Cristian Gutierrez-Ibanez · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyGlareolidae (Pratincoles and Coursers)
- GenusStiltia
- SpeciesStiltia isabella (Australian Pratincole)
About the Australian Pratincole
The Australian pratincole (Glareola isabella) is a species of bird in the family Glareolidae. It breeds in Australia's interior and winters in northern and eastern parts of the continent, Indonesia and New Guinea. It is a medium-sized nomadic shorebird but is commonly found in arid inland Australia. It breeds predominantly from south-western Queensland to northern Victoria, and through central Australia to the Kimberley region in Western Australia. The Australian population is estimated at 60,000 individuals.
They are a migratory species that generally move to the southern parts of their distribution range to breed during spring and summer. During winter they migrate to northern Australia, New Guinea, Java, Sulawesi and southern Borneo. Although they are common, their occurrence is unpredictable and varies in location.
The Australian pratincole was formerly placed in the monotypic genus Stiltia. It was moved to the genus Glareola based on a 2022 molecular genetic study of the Charadriiformes by David Černý and Rossy Natale that showed that the species was embedded within the genus Glareola.
The pratincole is also known as the Arnhem Land grouse... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Australian Pratincole in Kakadu National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Kakadu National Park
Oriental Pratincole
Glareola maldivarum
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Irediparra gallinacea
Masked Lapwing
Vanellus miles
Whiskered Tern
Chlidonias hybrida
Bush Stone-curlew
Burhinus grallarius
White-headed Stilt
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Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
Red-kneed Dotterel
Erythrogonys cinctus
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Calidris acuminata
Marsh Sandpiper
Tringa stagnatilis
Common Greenshank
Tringa nebularia
Chestnut-backed Buttonquail
Turnix castanotus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Litchfield National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Ningaloo Marine Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Cape Range | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Australian Pratincole in Kakadu National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Australian Pratincole sighting in Kakadu National Park, based on 187 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Australian Pratincole in Kakadu National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Australian Pratincole in Kakadu National Park in our monthly data.