White-Winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)

OTHER NAMES: White-Winged Tern
Latin Etymology: Chlidonias ("swallow-like") leptopterus ("slender wing")

Summer Adult White-Winged Black Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) at Eyebrooke Reservoir, Rutland - May 2018

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 42-79g  /  Length: 23-27cm  /  Wingspan: 58-67cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The White-Winged Black Tern is certainly one of those species which has a obliquely descriptive name; it indeed resembles pretty much a Black Tern except with white wings.  Unlike it's near namesake, it isn't a regular passage species to the UK instead only turning up as a vagrant as it migrates between Africa and Eastern Europe.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Sternidae
Genus: Chlidonias
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare vagrant

 - A single bird seen at  Eyebrooke Reservoir in May 2018.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Chlidonias ("swallow-like") hybrida ("hybrid")

                                             Whiskered Tern (subspecies C. h. hybrida) at Laguna Navaseca, Spain - April 2016

Featured Subspecies: Chlidonias hybrida hybria

Weight: 80-100g  /  Length: 23-25cm  /  Wingspan: 74-78cm

NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The palest of the three "Marsh Terns" found regularly in Europe, the Whiskered Tern more resembles a "classical" tern with a dark underbelly than the other two when in full breeding plumage. This is in fact reflected in the latin name "hybrida" - which suggests it does look like a hybrid of Marsh and "Sterna" terns.  A rare visitor to the UK, and I once attempted to see a juvenile that was present at Rutland Water, but was unable to positively pick it out without the more distinctive plumage at the great distances.  In Laguna Navaseca in Toledo province they were a common and easy to see presence, fishing in front of hides in the same way Common Terns do in wetlands in the UK.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Sternidae
Genus: Chlidonias
Subspecies: C. h. hybrida, C. h. delalandii, C. h. javanicus

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer Name: រំពេរពោះប្រផេះ ("? Grey Belly")

A locally common Winter visitor and passage migrant.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Common approaching Prek Toal

SPAIN - Spanish - Fumarel cariblanco ("White-cheeked tern")

Locally common Summer migrant

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Abundant at Laguna Navaseca (dozens seen) and one flock seen at Laguna del Longar distantly.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Black Tern (Chlidonias Niger)

OTHER NAMES: Short-tailed tern, Semipalmated tern, Sea pigeon
Latin Etymology: Chlidonias ("swallow-like") niger ("black")

Juvenile Black Tern (subspecies C. n. niger) at Rutland Water, Rutland - September 2010

Featured Subspecies: Chlidonias niger niger
Weight: 50-60g  /  Length: 23-28cm  /  Wingspan: 61cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Black Terns are passage migrants that can be seen over reservoirs and lakes during migration times. Seeing them is about being in the right place at the right time and photographing them will depend on convenience of distance.  The bird here is a juvenile, it is the adults in breeding plumage who are entirely sooty black as the name suggests.  They are the only species of the "Marsh Terns" who are consistently seen in the UK.  Generally my experience of Black Terns is that though at the right time of the year they aren't that difficult to see, they tend to remain fairly distant to hides for the sake of getting good views.

Related Species:

Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Sternidae
Genus: Chlidonias
Subspecies: C. n. niger, C. n. surinamensis

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Scarce passage migrant (in the hundreds)

 - Seen on passage at Rutland Water and Summerleys

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto 

.