Australian pratincole than oriental pratincole ("Glareola maldivarum"). Juveniles with worn plumage and birds in non-breeding plumage could also be confused with the oriental pratincole The habitat of the Australian pratincole is treeless, open and sparse wooded plains, grasslands, claypans and gibberstone. Most of these areas are usually in arid and semi-arid rainfall zones. They are also sometimes found around the margins of wetlands, creeks, river beds, bore drains, lagoons, springs, claypans and sewage farms. During the breeding season they need scattered low shrubland as the chicks use the shrubs to hide and shelter in. Their diet consists of mainly insects, spiders and
Oriental pratincole are brown with black flight feathers. The belly is white. The underwings are chestnut. Very good views are needed to distinguish this species from other pratincoles, such as the very similar collared pratincole, which also has a chestnut underwing, and black-winged pratincole which shares the black upperwing flight feathers and lack of a white trailing edge to the wing. These features are not always readily seen in the field, especially as the chestnut underwing appears black unless excellent views are obtained. An unusual feature of all pratincoles is that although classed as waders they typically hunt their insect prey on