Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend is not known, but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size may be moderately small to large, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
The population is estimated to number 11,000-35,000 individuals, roughly equating to 7,300-23,000 mature individuals.
Trend justification
Although Wetlands International consider the current population trend to be unknown, it is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats (del Hoyo et al. 1996).
Behaviour This species is an intra-African migrant, dispersing during the rainy season to Lake Chad, small rivers and coastal estuaries when rivers flood (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996). It breeds during the dry season in loose colonies, with nests a few metres apart (del Hoyo et al. 1996) and is very gregarious when not breeding (Urban et al. 1986). It forages on the wing during the evening over water (del Hoyo et al. 1996), grassland or woodland (Hayman et al. 1986). Habitat This species shows a preference for the sandbanks of large slow-flowing rivers (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996) and lakes in both forested and open country (Urban et al. 1986), but also frequents reservoirs and coastal habitats (occasionally mangroves and estuaries (Urban et al. 1986)) in times of river flooding or high water (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Diet The species is insectivorous, its diet consisting of flies, beetles, small grasshoppers and spiders (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Breeding site The nest is a shallow scrape in the sand of a sandbar or on shingle (Urban et al. 1986, del Hoyo et al. 1996), usually within 100 m of water (Urban et al. 1986).
This species is threatened by habitat destruction through the building of dams (the creation of Lake Volta in Ghana removed much suitable habitat and caused an exodus of the species from the country) (del Hoyo et al. 1996). The species is also subject to human disturbance (del Hoyo et al. 1996).
Text account compilers
Ekstrom, J., Butchart, S., Malpas, L.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Grey Pratincole Glareola cinerea. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/grey-pratincole-glareola-cinerea on 22/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/11/2024.