Whiskered Tern
Whiskered TernWhiskered TernWhiskered TernWhiskered Tern

Whiskered Tern

Chlidonias hybrida

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
at Yala National Park
498 Verified sightings at Yala National Park From 2019 to 2026
6,285 Verified sightings across all 83 parks From 2019 to 2026
February 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 Yala National Park

White-winged Tern
LC

White-winged Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlidonias leucopterus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Gull-billed Tern
LC

Gull-billed Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gelochelidon nilotica

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Little Tern
LC

Little Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sternula albifrons

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Caspian Tern
LC

Caspian Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hydroprogne caspia

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Brown Noddy

Brown Noddy

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anous stolidus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Crested Tern
LC

Crested Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus bergii

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Common Tern
LC

Common Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna hirundo

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

Lesser Crested Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus bengalensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Bridled Tern
LC

Bridled Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Onychoprion anaethetus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Brown-headed Gull

Brown-headed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Sandwich Tern
LC

Sandwich Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus sandvicensis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Lesser Noddy
LC

Lesser Noddy

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anous tenuirostris

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

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

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Whiskered Tern in Yala National Park?

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Whiskered Tern sighting in Yala National Park, based on 498 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Whiskered Tern in Yala National Park?

February has the highest sighting rate for Whiskered Tern in Yala National Park in our monthly data.

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