White-winged Tern

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 reports: Apr 2022, May 2022, Sep 2022, Oct 2022, Nov 2022, Dec 2022, Apr 2023, May 2023, Aug 2023, Sep 2023, Nov 2023, Dec 2023, Jan 2024, Feb 2024, Mar 2024, Apr 2024, May 2024, Jul 2024, Sep 2024, Oct 2024, Nov 2024, Dec 2024, Jan 2025, Feb 2025

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
Estimated average number of individuals by week based on eBird data, Jul 2014 to Jun 2024
Peak week Nov 05-Nov 11
Early date 05 Jul 1990
Late date 18 Jun 1990
A regular migrant in significant numbers, forms huge congregations during migratory periods. Most records in recent years have been from Kranji, Seletar Dam, and Marina East.
First winter White-winged Tern at Sungei Serangoon. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
First winter White-winged Tern at Sungei Serangoon. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
White-winged Tern moulting to non-breeding plumage at Sungei Serangoon. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
White-winged Tern at Singapore Strait. Photo credit: Francis Yap
White-winged Tern in breeding plumage at Singapore Strait. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
White-winged Terns at Singapore Strait. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Non-breeding White-winged Tern at Sungei Serangoon. 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

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 1 January 2023

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.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). White-winged Tern. Retrieved on April 24, 2025 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/white-winged-tern.

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