Whiskered Tern

Chlidonias hybrida

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
GenusChlidonias (Marsh Terns)
SpeciesChlidonias hybrida (Whiskered Tern)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Ruaha National Park

2 Verified sightings at Ruaha National Park From 2019 to 2026

6,285 Verified sightings across all 83 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ 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 Ruaha National Park

Chlidonias leucopterus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Rynchops flavirostris

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Vanellus albiceps

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Burhinus vermiculatus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Actitis hypoleucos

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Vanellus coronatus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Vanellus armatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Vanellus spinosus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Himantopus himantopus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Tringa glareola

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Burhinus capensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

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	Komodo National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
59	Awash National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	Insufficient data
60	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
61	Tangkoko Nature Reserve	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
62	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
63	Flinders Chase	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
64	Bandipur National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
65	Litchfield National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
66	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
67	Bandhavgarh National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
68	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	Insufficient data
69	Ankarafantsika National Park	🇲🇬 Madagascar	Insufficient data
70	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	Insufficient data
71	Bavarian Forest National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	Insufficient data
72	Periyar National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
73	Danum Valley Conservation Area	🇲🇾 Malaysia	Insufficient data
74	Jim Corbett National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
75	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
76	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
77	Kaeng Krachan National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	Insufficient data
78	Nagarhole National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
79	Sinharaja Forest Reserve	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	Insufficient data
80	Sepilok	🇲🇾 Malaysia	Insufficient data
81	Blue Mountains National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	Insufficient data
82	Kanha National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
83	Kinabalu Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	Insufficient data

← Back to Ruaha National Park

Whiskered Tern

About the Whiskered Tern

Recent sightings of Whiskered Tern in Ruaha National Park

Closest Relatives at Ruaha National Park

White-winged Tern

African Skimmer

Grey-hooded Gull

White-headed Lapwing

Water Thick-knee

Common Sandpiper

Crowned Lapwing

Blacksmith Lapwing

Spur-winged Lapwing

Black-winged Stilt

Wood Sandpiper

Spotted Thick-knee

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found