Yellow-billed Tern
Sternula superciliaris
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
- FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
- GenusSternula (Small Terns)
- SpeciesSternula superciliaris (Yellow-billed Tern)
About the Yellow-billed Tern
The yellow-billed tern (Sternula superciliaris) is a small seabird found in South America. It is a species of tern in the family Laridae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Its natural habitats are rivers, swamps, and freshwater lakes. It measures approximately 23–25 centimeters in body length and weighs 40–57 grams. It has a yellow beak and feet, silvery grey wings and white underbody and forehead. Its crown, nape, and eyeline are black. Juveniles are brown and white without the black cap.
It frequently nests alongside colonies of the large-billed tern (Phaetusa simplex) and the black skimmer (Rynchops niger). The yellow-billed tern breeds from August to December on sand banks and island beaches. Non-breeding season habitats include coastal lagoons, river mouths, and rice fields. Their nests consist of shallow scrapes in the sand. Most commonly a clutch contains 2 eggs, but the yellow-billed tern can lay anywhere between 1–4 eggs. The incubation period is approximately 24 days. Nests are usually formed very close to each other... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Yellow-billed Tern in Madidi National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Madidi National Park
Large-billed Tern
Phaetusa simplex
Black Skimmer
Rynchops niger
Andean Gull
Chroicocephalus serranus
Southern Lapwing
Vanellus chilensis
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
Pied Lapwing
Hoploxypterus cayanus
Wattled Jacana
Jacana jacana
Solitary Sandpiper
Tringa solitaria
Andean Lapwing
Vanellus resplendens
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca
Wilson's Phalarope
Phalaropus tricolor
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Noel Kempff Mercado National Park | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 3 | Amacayacu National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 4 | El Impenetrable National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 5 | Anavilhanas National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 6 | Tambopata National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 7 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 8 | Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 9 | Iberá National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 10 | Yasuní National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 11 | Madidi National Park | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 12 | Sierra de la Macarena National Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 13 | Cordillera Azul National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 14 | Palo Verde National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 15 | Emas National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 16 | El Palmar National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 17 | Tayrona National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 18 | Canaima National Park | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | |
| 19 | Henri Pittier National Park | 🇻🇪 Venezuela |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Yellow-billed Tern in Madidi National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-billed Tern sighting in Madidi National Park, based on 22 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Yellow-billed Tern in Madidi National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Yellow-billed Tern in Madidi National Park in our monthly data.