Whiskered Tern
Whiskered TernWhiskered TernWhiskered TernWhiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Chlidonias hybrida

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Raja Ampat
68 Verified sightings at Raja Ampat From 2019 to 2026
6,283 Verified sightings across all 82 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Whiskered Tern

The whiskered tern (Chlidonias hybrida) is a tern in the family Laridae. The genus name is from Ancient Greek khelidonios, "swallow-like", from khelidon, "swallow". The specific hybridus is Latin for hybrid; Peter Simon Pallas thought it might be a hybrid of white-winged black tern and common tern, writing "Sterna fissipes [Chlidonias leucopterus] et Hirundine [Sterna hirundo] natam".

This bird has a number of geographical races, differing mainly in size and minor plumage details. The tropical forms are resident, but European and Asian birds winter south to Africa and the Indian subcontinent. A tagged whiskered tern was spotted at Manakudi Bird Sanctuary, Kanniyakumari District of Tamil Nadu, India in the month of April 2021.

This species breeds in colonies on inland marshes, sometimes amongst black-headed gulls, which provide some protection. The scientific name arises from the fact that this, the largest marsh tern, show similarities in appearance to both the white Sterna terns and to black tern.

The size, black cap, strong bill (29–34 mm in males, 25–27 mm and stubbier in females, with a pronounced gonys) and more positive flight recall common... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Raja Ampat

White-winged Tern
LC

White-winged Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlidonias leucopterus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Crested Tern
LC

Crested Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus bergii

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Common Tern
LC

Common Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna hirundo

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Bridled Tern
LC

Bridled Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Onychoprion anaethetus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Black-naped Tern
LC

Black-naped Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna sumatrana

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Brown Noddy
LC

Brown Noddy

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anous stolidus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Little Tern
LC

Little Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sternula albifrons

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Sooty Tern
LC

Sooty Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Onychoprion fuscatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Lesser Crested Tern
LC

Lesser Crested Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus bengalensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Black Noddy
LC

Black Noddy

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anous minutus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Caspian Tern
LC

Caspian Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hydroprogne caspia

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Gull-billed Tern
LC

Gull-billed Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gelochelidon nilotica

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Wilpattu National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~40%
2 Yala National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~40%
3 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~40%
4 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
5 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
6 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
7 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
~20%
8 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~20%
9 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
10 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~20%
11 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
12 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~10%
13 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~10%
14 Minneriya National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~10%
15 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
16 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
17 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
~10%
18 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
19 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
~10%
20 Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary 🇲🇾 Malaysia
~10%
21 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
22 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
23 Sundarbans National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
24 Camargue 🇫🇷 France
<5%
25 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
26 Raja Ampat 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
27 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
<5%
28 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
29 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
30 Keoladeo National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
31 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
32 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
33 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
34 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
35 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
36 Khao Yai National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
37 Satpura National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
38 Taroko National Park 🇹🇼 Taiwan
<5%
39 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
40 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
41 Ranthambore National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
42 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
43 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
44 Bali Barat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
45 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
46 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
47 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
48 Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park 🇲🇳 Mongolia
<5%
49 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
50 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
51 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
52 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%
53 Way Kambas National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
54 Gunung Leuser National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
55 Bako National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
Insufficient data
56 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
57 Cape Range 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
58 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
59 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
60 Tangkoko Nature Reserve 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
61 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
62 Flinders Chase 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
63 Bandipur National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
64 Litchfield National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
65 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
66 Bandhavgarh National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
67 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
68 Ankarafantsika National Park 🇲🇬 Madagascar
Insufficient data
69 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
70 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
Insufficient data
71 Periyar National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
72 Danum Valley Conservation Area 🇲🇾 Malaysia
Insufficient data
73 Jim Corbett National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
74 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
75 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
76 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
Insufficient data
77 Nagarhole National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
78 Sinharaja Forest Reserve 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
Insufficient data
79 Sepilok 🇲🇾 Malaysia
Insufficient data
80 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
81 Kanha National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
82 Kinabalu Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Whiskered Tern in Raja Ampat?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Whiskered Tern sighting in Raja Ampat, based on 68 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Whiskered Tern in Raja Ampat?

September has the highest sighting rate for Whiskered Tern in Raja Ampat in our monthly data.

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