White-winged Tern

Scientific Name: Chlidonias leucopterus
Malay Name: Camar Tasik Sayap Putih
Chinese Name: 白翅浮鸥

Range:
Found throughout Europe to temperate Asia, wintering to Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia

Taxonomy:
Monotypic.

Size: 20-24 cm

Identification:
Non-breeding adult resembles Whiskered Tern but has finer bill, distinctive isolated roundish ear-patch (headphones) and whitish rump/uppertail-coverts. Breeding adult has all black head, body and underwing-coverts. Juvenile resembles non-breeding adult but has buff-brown markings on scapulars and back.

Similar looking species: Little Tern, Whiskered Tern

Habitat: Open seas, coastal habitats, mudflats, marshes and reservoirs.

Behaviour/Ecology: Gathers in small loose flocks, feeding by wheeling and skimming low over water surface.

Local Status: Uncommon migrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Location: Lorong Halus, Kranji Reservoir, Upper Seletar Reservoir, Marina Barrage, Straits of Johor and Straits of Singapore.

Featured articles:

• Pelagic Bird Trip at the Singapore Strait – 20 September 2020 (Trip Reports)
• Pelagic Bird Survey to the Horsburgh Lighthouse – 29 April 2017 (Trip Reports)

Featured reports: Apr 2022, May 2022

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

First winter White-winged Tern at Sungei Serangoon. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

White-winged Tern in breeding plumage at Singapore Strait. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

White-winged Tern moulting to non-breeding plumage at Sungei Serangoon. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Non-breeding White-winged Tern at Sungei Serangoon. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

First winter White-winged Tern at Sungei Serangoon. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

White-winged Terns at Singapore Strait. Photo credit: Francis Yap

White-winged Tern at Singapore Strait. Photo credit: Francis Yap

Breeding plumaged and non-breeding plumaged White-winged Terns at Singapore Strait. Photo credit: Francis Yap