
Photo: sunnyjosef · CC BY 4.0
Glareola lactea
Habitat
Open country, gravel or sand banks near rivers and lakes
Clutch size
2-4 eggs
Size
16.5-18.5cm
Wingspan
42-48cm
It is only 16.5 to 18.5 cm long with a wingspan of 42 to 48 cm, and in flight can be briefly confused with a swift or swallow. It has short legs, long pointed wings, a short tail and a short bill suited to aerial feeding. On the ground it looks mainly pale grey, with a brown crown (Wikipedia, general species account).
It breeds from December to March on gravel or sand banks near rivers and lakes, laying two to four eggs in a ground scrape. Although classed as a wader, it typically hunts insects on the wing like a swallow, often near water in the evening.