any of various small Old World shorebirds (family Glareolidae) with long, pointed wings and a forked tail; esp., the Eurasian pratincole (Glareola pratincola)
See pratincole in American Heritage Dictionary 4
(prătˈn-kōlˌ, prātˈ-, prătˈĭng-, prāˈtĭng-)
noun
Any of several Old World shore birds of the genera Glareola and Stiltia of the family Glareolidae, having brown and black plumage, long pointed wings, a forked tail, and a tapered bill.