Great Tit (Parus major)
Black-winged Pratincole (Glareola nordmanni)
Combination of striking black and white head and yellow underparts makes it rather unmistakable. Back greenish, tail and wings bluish. Outer tail feathers white. Sexes alike except for wider black belly-stripe in males. Biggest tit.
Sound:Song highly variable, but usually consisting of two to three notes repeated in a motif. Same birds have many different motifs but generally repeat them many times before switching. Identified by its timbre and often metallic resonant quality, more than by actual phrasing (which is very variable). Often includes buzzing sounds in song. Generally more full-bodied and resonant calls than blue tit, and not so high-pitched. Characteristic Chaffinch-like "tink tink tink" often uttered by male.
Song:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCOnly likely to be confused with other pratincoles, but diagnostic field marks often difficult to see. Differs from Collared Pratincole by black underwing and lack of white trailing edge to upperwing (both characters requires good light). Tail streamers shorter than wing-tips and base of bill with less red (in breeding plumage). Build slightly stockier than Collared Pratincole, with longer legs. Lore and forehead often darker. Sexes alike. Lacks black necklace in winter plumage. Immature birds are similar to winter-plumaged adults, but with additional scaly upperparts. A third species, Oriental Pratincole, is a rare vagrant with rufous underwing, no wing-bar, and even shorter tail.
Sound:Also see Collared Pratincole. Differs from latter by the hard parts being dryer, more clicking and staccato, while the more melodic components are more mewing. Like with Collared Pratincole beware confusion risk with Little Tern, which is similar in timbre.
Various calls:
Distribution:
Xeno-canto: map
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCCC-sound:Vladimir Arkhipov, Licence,Link.
CC-photo:Ignaas Robbe, Licence,Link.
CC-photo:maholyoak, Licence,Link.