Showing posts with label WHISKERED TERN (JUVENILE) (Chlidonias niger). Show all posts
Showing posts with label WHISKERED TERN (JUVENILE) (Chlidonias niger). Show all posts
Saturday, 15 August 2020
Wednesday, 17 July 2019
Wednesday, 22 August 2018
22-8-2018 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - WHISKERED TERN (Chlidonias niger)
The Whiskered Tern, Chlidonias hybrida, is a member of the tern family Laridae, exhibiting a swallow-like appearance, as suggested by its genus name derived from the Ancient Greek khelidonios. This species is the largest of the marsh terns, showcasing a blend of features from both the white Sterna terns and the black tern.
Adult Whiskered Terns in summer plumage are characterized by their robust bill, measuring 29–34 mm in males and 25–27 mm in females, with a pronounced gonys. They possess a black cap and a short, forked-looking tail. The cheeks are white, and the legs and bill are a vibrant red. Juveniles display a white-flecked crown and a more uniformly blackish hindcrown, while the winter adult has a similar pattern with additional white flecking. The black ear-coverts create a C-shaped band when viewed from above. Throughout the year, the rump maintains a pale grey hue. The call of the Whiskered Tern is a distinctive "krekk."
Whiskered Terns breed in colonies on inland marshes, often in the company of black-headed gulls, which offer a degree of protection.
The Whiskered Tern has several geographical races, varying mainly in size and minor plumage details. The Eurasian Whiskered Tern (C. h. hybrida) is found in warmer parts of Europe and the Palearctic, while the African Whiskered Tern (C. h. delalandii) resides in east and south Africa, and the Australasian Whiskered Tern (C. h. javanicus) ranges from Java to Australia. The tropical forms are resident, but European and Asian birds migrate south to Africa and the Indian Subcontinent for wintering.
European and Asian Whiskered Terns are migratory, traveling south during the winter months. A tagged individual was observed in April 2021 at the Manakudi Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, India.
The Whiskered Tern is known for its characteristic "krekk" call.
This species breeds in colonies on inland marshes, sometimes amongst black-headed gulls.
The diet of the Whiskered Tern includes small fish, amphibians, insects, and crustaceans.
The Whiskered Tern is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it is not at immediate risk of population decline.
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