Inca Tern
Larosterna inca
Silhouette: Juan Carlos Jerí · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
- GenusLarosterna
- SpeciesLarosterna inca (Inca Tern)
About the Inca Tern
The Inca tern (Larosterna inca) is a near-threatened species of tern in the subfamily Sterninae of the family Laridae (the gulls, terns, and skimmers). It is found along the Pacific coasts of Chile, Ecuador and Perú, and has appeared as a vagrant in Central America and Hawaii.
The Inca tern is the sole member of its monotypic genus Larosterna, and has no accepted subspecies. Perhaps surprisingly given its highly distinct plumage, the Inca tern is not particularly basal among the terns, being more closely related to typical Sterna terns than any of the superficially much more similar genera Gelochelidon, Hydroprogne, Onychoprion, Phaetusa, or Sternula are.
The Inca tern is roughly 39 to 42 cm (15 to 17 in) long and weighs between 180 to 210 g (6.3 to 7.4 oz). Its plumage is uniquely colored among terns; adults have a mostly dark, slate-gray body, with paler underwing coverts, and a slightly paler throat. A white stripe extends back from the base of the bill and fans out like a Salvador Dalíesque mustache as long, satiny feathers along the side of the neck. The trailing edge of the wing (the tips of the secondaries and the three inner... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Inca Tern in Machalilla National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Machalilla National Park
Laughing Gull
Leucophaeus atricilla
Royal Tern
Thalasseus maximus
Elegant Tern
Thalasseus elegans
Franklin's Gull
Leucophaeus pipixcan
Sabine's Gull
Xema sabini
Sandwich Tern
Thalasseus sandvicensis
Grey-hooded Gull
Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus
South American Tern
Sterna hirundinacea
Gull-billed Tern
Gelochelidon nilotica
Common Tern
Sterna hirundo
Black Skimmer
Rynchops niger
Dominican Gull
Larus dominicanus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paracas National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 2 | Machalilla National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 3 | Soberanía National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 4 | Galápagos Islands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Inca Tern in Machalilla National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Inca Tern sighting in Machalilla National Park, based on 197 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Inca Tern in Machalilla National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Inca Tern in Machalilla National Park in our monthly data.