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Interesting pratincole at k20 salt pans (Main Area)

posted by Barak Granit , 20.05.2012, 12:46

Hi all,

After reading thoroughly the Identification of Collared Pratincole and Oriental Pratincole – a critical review of characters by Gerald Driessens & Lars Svensson I can sum the following points:

Important characters:
1.The white and buffish, serrated trailing edge to the secondaries is probably too thick for any spring OP.
2.The tail is much shorter than wingtips and fits better OP. However - judging the depth the tail-fork, it seems that most OP has shallower fork than this bird. The fork actually fits better CP though it is mentioned that some odd OP can possibly approach thi). .
3.Inner web of the inner primaries are distally paler than the outer webs (perched photo) and form a diffuse continuation of the secondary trailing edge, make the identity of CP certain.
4.Outer secondaries are distinctly paler than the inner ones – CP.
5.The length of the nostril is larger than twice the width (actually it is larger than 3 time the width) therefor – CP
6.Amount of red on bill base can fit for both species.

Supplementary characters:
7.Shaft of outer primary is whitish ot creamy white – indicative of CP.
8.Colour of upperparts – darker than CP and fits OP
9.Leg length – particularly long in this bird – better for OP.

To sum, There are too many important features to exclude pure maldivorum. Although hybrid is a possibility for concern, I would expect some cut off contradicting important features on such case. However, Such features are not exist on this bird. So we are talking about a definite Collard Pratincole, with unusual short tail, with darker upper parts and longer legs than usual.

Now, I will compare this bird to 'Afrotropical' Collard Pratincole, as its features are described in Gerald Driessens article: Field characters of Afrotropical Collared Pratincole.

Features which support 'Afrotopical' Collard Pratincole found on the Eilat bird:
1.Long mouth line – fits both OP and ACP but much less so CP.
2.Darker crown divided from the dark upperparts by a pale hindneck – on this Eilat bird the forehead is distinctly darker brown (obvious against the red bill base) than the greyer and paler crown which in its turn darker than the warmer brown hindneck. All in all the Eilat bird as obvious cap - strongly contrasting to the much paler rear cheek and throat.
3.Darker upperparts than in CP, and match (or even sometimes darker than) the dark upperparts of OP.
4.The red panel on the underwing is on average less extensive than in CP.
5.It seems to me that the Eilat bird (perched photo) has a some extent of purplish gloss to the black primaries. This is another good feature for ACP.
Another point worth relating to is the difference between the darker outer web of the inner primaries to the paler distal part inner web. It says that on ACP this difference appear on minority of birds only, but when it does, it is easier to detect it than in CP due to the blacker outer web which accentuate the contrast. I can only point out that on the Eilat bird, the contrast is well visible (perched bird photo) and thus fits as well.

Still – also if we do talk about Afrotropical Collard Pratincole, two features remains unusal:
1.Distinctly shorter tail compare to wing tip
2.Really long legs.

Any thoughts are welcome, interesting stuff!

cheers
Barak

Complete thread:

• Interesting pratincole at k20 salt pans - Eyal Shochat, 19.05.2012, 15:10
  • On ground - Eyal Shochat, 19.05.2012, 15:13
  • Underwing - Eyal Shochat, 19.05.2012, 15:17
  • upper wing I - Eyal Shochat, 19.05.2012, 15:20
  • Upper wing II - Eyal Shochat, 19.05.2012, 15:24
  • Head close-up - Eyal Shochat, 19.05.2012, 16:17
    • Possible solution - yoavpe, 20.05.2012, 06:42
  • Interesting pratincole at k20 salt pans - Barak Granit, 20.05.2012, 12:46
    • Interesting pratincole at k20 salt pans - itaisha, 20.05.2012, 13:42