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, Jan 2023, Apr 2023

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

White-winged Tern in breeding plumage at Singapore Strait. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
White-winged Terns at Singapore Strait. Photo credit: Francis Yap
White-winged Tern at Singapore Strait. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Non-breeding 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
First winter 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
First winter White-winged Tern at Sungei Serangoon. 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

Singapore Birds Project. (n.d.). White-winged Tern. Retrieved on June 1, 2023 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/white-winged-tern.