Small Pratincole

Small Pratincole
This species is defined as a Review Species . Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page .

Scientific Name: Glareola lactea

Malay Name: Kedidi-Padang Kecil

Chinese Name: 灰燕鸻

Range: Found from the Indian subcontinent to southern China, Myanmar and Indochina, wintering to Peninsula Malaysia and Singapore

Taxonomy: Monotypic.

Size: 16-19 cm

Identification: Adult can be distinguished from Oriental Pratincole by smaller size, greyer upperparts, paler throat with no dark border and buffish grey breast. Juvenile resembles adult but throat bordered by brownish spots/streaks.

Similar looking species: Oriental Pratincole

Habitat: Open country near water.

Behaviour/Ecology:

Local Status: Vagrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Note that records currently under review are also not displayed, and the list may not be a full list of records of this species in Singapore. For more details, check the database here.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Small Pratincole Glareola lactea
Average number of individuals by week based on Singapore Bird Database data, Jul 2014 to Jun 2024 (all records)
Early date 16 Nov 1964
Late date 24 Jan 1988
Bar chart not displayed for this species; bar chart not displayed for this species; no records in the given time period.
Much smaller than Oriental Pratincole. Occurs in wetlands; usually winters in India, Thailand, and Myanmar but recorded as a vagrant in Singapore.
Small Pratincole at Punggol Barat. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
Small Pratincole at Punggol Barat. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
Small Pratincole at Punggol Barat. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Small Pratincole)

References:

BirdLife International. (2016). Glareola lactea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22694152A93441581.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Jeyarajasingam, A., & Pearson, A. (2012). A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Oxford University Press.

Lim, K. S. (2009). The Avifauna of Singapore. Nature Society (Singapore).

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Small Pratincole. Retrieved on May 14, 2025 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/small-pratincole.

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