White-Winged Tern
Chlidonias leucopterus
Also known as: White-Winged Black Tern
Habitat
Aquatic
Diet
Invertebrate
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
54 g
About This Species
A marsh tern that breeds colonially in freshwater wetlands across Eurasia and winters in Africa, southern Asia and Australia, favouring flooded fields, marshes and shallow lakes. Its buoyant, graceful flight as it hawks insects low over water, combined with the black body and contrasting white wings of breeding plumage, makes it distinctive on the wing. Migration periods and the breeding season at marshy wetlands give the best views.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Colonies nest low among marsh vegetation and are highly vulnerable to trampling or flushing, so view them from paths, boardwalks or hides rather than entering the marsh itself.
- Wetland protection status varies across its wide range, and many breeding sites fall within protected reserves with posted access rules that should be followed.
- Staying well back during the breeding season matters more here than at almost any other time of year.
LCAvesCharadriiformesLaridae
Seasonal Activity
151,547 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Laridae
Traits
- Diet
- Invertebrate
- Foraging
- Aquatic
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 54 g
Photo
(c) Ренат Рахматуллин, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ренат Рахматуллин
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.