White-winged Tern
White-winged TernWhite-winged TernWhite-winged TernWhite-winged Tern

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Raja Ampat
16 Verified sightings at Raja Ampat From 2019 to 2026
2,480 Verified sightings across all 65 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the White-winged Tern

The white-winged tern or white-winged black tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) is a species of tern in the family Laridae. It is a small species generally found in or near bodies of fresh water across much of the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The genus name is from Ancient Greek khelidonios, "swallow-like", from khelidon, "swallow".

The name 'white-winged tern' is the standard in most English-speaking countries; in the United Kingdom, this name is also the one used by the formal ornithological recording authorities, but the older alternative 'white-winged black tern' is still frequent in popular use.

Adult birds in summer have short red legs and a short black bill (small and stubby, measuring 22–25 mm from the feathers, decidedly shorter than the head), a black neck (often with a pale gray back) and belly, very dark grey back, with a white rump and light grey (almost white) tail, which often looks 'square' in juveniles. The face is tinged yellowish. The wings, as the name implies, are mainly white. The inner wing is grayish with brown-tipped coverts. In non-breeding plumage, most of the black is replaced by white or pale grey, though a few blackish... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Raja Ampat

Whiskered Tern
LC

Whiskered Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlidonias hybrida

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 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~20%
2 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~20%
3 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~20%
4 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
5 Yala National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
~10%
6 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
7 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
~10%
8 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
~10%
9 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
10 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
11 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
~10%
12 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~10%
13 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
14 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
15 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
16 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
17 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
18 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
19 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
20 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
21 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
22 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
23 Khao Sok National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
24 Wilpattu National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
<5%
25 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
26 Raja Ampat 🇮🇩 Indonesia
<5%
27 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
28 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
29 Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park 🇲🇳 Mongolia
<5%
30 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
31 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
32 Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
33 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
34 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
35 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
36 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
37 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
38 Way Kambas National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
39 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
40 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
41 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
42 Cape Range 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
43 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
44 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
45 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
46 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
47 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
48 Tangkoko Nature Reserve 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
49 Minneriya National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
Insufficient data
50 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
Insufficient data
51 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
52 Litchfield National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
53 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
54 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
55 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
56 Bali Barat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
57 Taroko National Park 🇹🇼 Taiwan
Insufficient data
58 Aoraki Mount Cook National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
59 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
60 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
Insufficient data
61 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
62 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
Insufficient data
63 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
Insufficient data
64 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
65 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a White-winged Tern in Raja Ampat?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a White-winged Tern sighting in Raja Ampat, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see White-winged Tern in Raja Ampat?

September has the highest sighting rate for White-winged Tern in Raja Ampat in our monthly data.

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