Whiskered tern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Whiskered tern |
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| C. h. delalandii in summer (breeding) colors, South Africa | |
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| C. h. hybrida in winter (non-breeding) colors, Sri Lanka | |
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| Where the Whiskered Tern lives Breeding Resident Non-breeding Vagrant (seasonality uncertain) | |
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The whiskered tern (Chlidonias hybrida) is a type of tern bird. It belongs to the Laridae family, which includes gulls and terns. The name Chlidonias comes from an Ancient Greek word meaning "swallow-like." This is because these birds fly a lot like swallows.
The word hybridus is Latin for "hybrid." The scientist Peter Simon Pallas thought this bird might be a mix of two other terns. He believed it could be a hybrid of the white-winged black tern and the common tern.
Whiskered terns live in different parts of the world. There are a few types, called subspecies. They mostly differ in their size and small details of their feathers.
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Where Whiskered Terns Live
There are three main types of whiskered terns:
- C. h. hybrida lives in warmer parts of Europe and Asia. This includes places from northwestern Africa to eastern China and northern India.
- C. h. delalandii is found in east and south Africa. This type has a smaller bill and darker feathers.
- C. h. javanicus lives from Java to Australia. This type is usually paler in color.
Some whiskered terns stay in one place all year. These are the ones living in tropical areas. But terns from Europe and Asia fly south for the winter. They travel to Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. For example, a whiskered tern was seen in India in April 2021.
These birds like to build their nests in groups. They often choose inland marshes. Sometimes, they nest near black-headed gulls. This can help protect them from danger. The whiskered tern is the largest of the "marsh terns." It looks a bit like both the white Sterna terns and the black tern.
What Whiskered Terns Look Like
The whiskered tern is a medium-sized bird. It has a black cap on its head and a strong bill. Its flight is steady and direct. These features might remind you of a common or Arctic tern. However, its short, forked tail and dark grey feathers are typical of marsh terns.
Summer and Winter Colors
In summer, when they are breeding, adult whiskered terns have white cheeks. Their legs and bill are red. The top of their head, called the crown, is black.
In winter, their forehead turns white. Their body feathers become a much lighter grey. This helps them blend in during the colder months.
Young Whiskered Terns
Young whiskered terns look different. Their back has a scaly, ginger pattern. Otherwise, they look a lot like winter adults. When they are a bit older, in their first winter, their back might still have some patchy ginger colors.
Feather Details
The black cap on an adult's head is flecked with white in young birds. In winter adults, the back of the head is also flecked with white. The black parts around their ears connect to the black on the back of their head. This makes the black look like a C-shape. The sides of their neck are white. This white sometimes goes across the back of their neck.
The lower back, called the rump, is always pale grey. In young birds, the feathers on their back and shoulders have a varied pattern. They are dark brown with wide buff (light brown) edges. Sometimes they have buff bars or centers. New grey feathers often start to appear on their back in the fall. Adult terns have silvery-grey feathers on their back.
Sounds and Food
The whiskered tern makes a special sound. It calls out a characteristic krekk.
These birds eat a variety of small creatures. Their diet includes small fish, amphibians like frogs, insects, and crustaceans such as shrimp.
Gallery
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C. h. hybrida flying, in non-breeding colors
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C. h. javanicus flying, in breeding colors
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Eggs of the Whiskered Tern
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