. ▁They ▁are ▁found ▁world wide ▁within ▁the ▁tropical ▁zone , ▁with ▁some ▁species ▁also ▁bre eding ▁in ▁temper ate ▁Europe ▁and ▁Australia . ▁They ▁are ▁medium ▁to ▁large ▁w aders ▁with ▁strong ▁black ▁or ▁yellow - black ▁b ills , ▁large ▁yellow ▁eyes ▁and ▁crypt ic ▁pl um age . ▁Despite ▁being ▁class ed ▁as ▁w aders , ▁most ▁species ▁have ▁a ▁preference ▁for ▁ar id ▁or ▁semi - ar id ▁habit ats . ▁There ▁is ▁one ▁species ▁which ▁has ▁been ▁recorded ▁in ▁Leb anon . ▁ ▁E uras ian ▁thick - k ne e , ▁Bur hin us ▁o edic nem us ▁ ▁Pr atin col es ▁and ▁cour sers ▁Order : ▁Char ad ri iformes Family : ▁G lare ol idae ▁ ▁G lare ol idae ▁is ▁a ▁family ▁of ▁w ading ▁birds ▁compr ising ▁the ▁pr atin col es , ▁which ▁have ▁short ▁legs , ▁long ▁pointed ▁wings ▁and ▁long ▁for ked ▁t ails , ▁and ▁the ▁cour sers , ▁which ▁have ▁long ▁legs , ▁short ▁wings ▁and ▁long , ▁pointed ▁b ills ▁which ▁curve ▁down wards . ▁There ▁are ▁three ▁species ▁which ▁have ▁been ▁recorded ▁in ▁Leb anon . ▁ ▁C ream - color ed ▁cour ser , ▁C ursor ius ▁cursor ▁Col la red ▁pr atin cole , ▁G lare ola ▁pr atin cola ▁Black - wing ed ▁pr atin cole , ▁G lare ola ▁nord mann i ▁ ▁P lo vers ▁and ▁lap w ings ▁Order : ▁Char ad ri iformes Family : ▁Char ad ri