Australian pratincole the tone rising then falling rapidly. Far-contact call- plaintive down-slurred 'tuwhee'. This call is used between mates from the ground near nest and also used to call chicks. Greeting call- gently trilled 'pree' or short phrase 'pree-pree-pippip-pip' which is used during courtship display and when flying to mate. Alarm call- loud sharp notes in increasing intensity 'WIT-itit', 'Weetle-itit' and 'wee-WIT-ititit'. Accompanied at times by distraction displays. Australian pratincole The Australian pratincole ("Stiltia isabella") is a species of bird in the family Glareolidae. It breeds in Australia's interior; it winters to northern and eastern parts of the island, Indonesia and New
Pratincole resting in the warmest part of the day. Like the coursers, the pratincoles are found in warmer parts of the Old World, from southern Europe and Africa east through Asia to Australia. Species breeding in temperate regions are long-distance migrants. Their two to four eggs are laid on the ground in a bare scrape. The downy pratincole chicks are able to run as soon as they are hatched. The Australian pratincole, the only species not in the genus "Glareola", is more terrestrial than the other pratincoles, and may be intermediate between this group and the coursers. The name "pratincole" comes