Birds of Singapore
by the Bird Society of Singapore
Chlidonias hybrida
Family: Skimmers, Noddies, Terns, and Gulls · Status: Uncommon migrant · Size: 24–28 cm · Conservation: Least Concern
Breeds in Africa, southern Europe, temperate Asia, and southern Australia. Northern and central Asian populations winter south through the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, including the Greater Sundas and the Philippines.
Breeding adult has dark red bill, legs and feet and black forehead to nape with contrasting white cheeks. Non-breeding adult has a short black bill, legs and feet, white lores and forehead, dark mask around and behind eye, blackish streaking on hindcrown and nape, short shallow forked tail and uniform grey upperparts. Juvenile resembles non-breeding adult but has buff-brown markings on scapulars and back. Non-breeding adult/immature separated from immature White-winged Tern by leseer extension of the white patch behind the ear coverts, narrow or incomplete white collar (prominent white collar in White-winged), pale grey rump (white in White-winged), more robust bill and paler, less distinct marginal coverts (darker in White-winged). Immature separated from immature White-winged Tern by prominent contrasting dark crescents on scapulars (more uniformly brown scapulars in White-winged).
Open seas, coastal waters, mudflats, freshwater marshes and reservoirs.
Usually seen with White-winged and Little Terns. Feeds mainly by aerial-dipping and skimming low over the water; rarely plunge-dives.