Identification: Easily distinguished from Whiskered and White-wing Terns that share same habitat by small size and short-tailed appearance. Non-breeding adult has dark bill, legs and feet, white lores and forecrown, blackish hindcrown with whitish streaks and black nape. Breeding adult has yellow bill with black tip, black crown, nape, eyestripe and well defined white forehead. Juvenile resembles non-breeding adult but has dark subterminal markings on mantle, scapulars, tertials and wing-coverts.