Pernice di mare Glareola pratincola

Elegant, agile flier that looks like a cross between a plover and a swallow. Adult is warm gray-brown with an elegant “necklace” and red bill base. Juvenile is grayer, with white-fringed feathers. Very narrow (sometimes unnoticeable) white trailing edges to the secondaries and dark rusty underwings distinguish this species from similar pratincoles. Usually seen in buoyant flight over open country, from dry fields to grassy wetlands with muddy shorelines. Inconspicuous on the ground; note short-legged and very long-winged “horizontal” profile. Feeds mainly in flight, sweeping back and forth like a giant swallow to snatch aerial insects.