Appearance:

A small, tit-like passerine with brown back, grey head and diagnostic black mask. Plumage comparable to Red-backed Shrike, but build and behaviour very different. Male with broader mask than female. Juveniles with pale, uniform plumage, lacking mask altogether. May be confused with Bearded Reedling if mask not seen, but note shorter tail with no graduation. Tit-like behaviour, but less inquisitive.

Sound:

Call a sharp clear high pitched whistle "pju-eee-uu", with the middle part accented and with a raised pitch Or just an all descending whistle "pjuuuuuuu".

Contact call:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Sound recording:Recorded by Edmunds Racinskis

Appearance:

Only 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

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

CC-sound:Vladimir Arkhipov, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Ignaas Robbe, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:maholyoak, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Lars Buckx, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Hilde Ham, Licence,Link.