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: Whiskered Tern, Little 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.

Photos:

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

External Links:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Photos: Oriental Bird Images
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (White-winged Tern)

References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Chlidonias leucopterus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22694782A86772583.en. Accessed on 19 December 2021

Jeyarajasingam, A., & Pearson, A. (2012). A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Oxford University Press.

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.