White Winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)

Charadriiformes Sternidae White-Winged Tern (Chlidonias leucopterus)

[order] Charadriiformes | [family] Sternidae | [latin] Chlidonias leucopterus | [UK] White-Winged Tern | [FR] Guifette leucoptère | [DE] Weißflügel-Seeschwalbe | [ES] Gaviotín Negro de Alas Blancas | [IT] Mignattino alibianche | [NL] Witvleugelstern

Physical charateristics

Head, body and scapulars black, with contrasting white rump, tail and undertail coverts. Upperwing grey, with white lesser and median coverts. Underwing pale grey, with all coverts contrastingly black. Bill reddish black, legs bright to dull red. Very like non-breeding C. hybridus, but dark of crown and ear-coverts usually separated white supercilium, usually shows darker grey band across lesser coverts.

Distribution

Chlidonias leucopterus is a widespread summer visitor to eastern Europe, which accounts for less than a quarter of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is relatively large (>74,000 pairs), and increased between 1970-1990. Although there were declines in Romania and Turkey during 1990-2000, populations were fluctuating or stable across the rest of its European range, and the species was probably stable overall.

Listen to the sound of White-Winged Tern

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Habitat

Breeds on vegetated inland freshwater lakes, marshes and swamps, from Mediterranean to boreal forest. In winter occurs in variety of habitats, from inland lakes to rocky coasts, lagoons, rivers and mangrove swamps

Foraging habits

Diet mainly aquatic insects, also terrestrial insects. Occasionally small fish and tadpoles. Forages in variety of wetland habitats, including wet fields, and also over dry farmland and steppe. Species is accomplished aerial feeder, uses contact-dipping, also hover-dipping, and hawks flying insects.

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Breeding habits

Egg laying in April-August, breeds in small colonies up to 100 pairs. Usually monospecific, sometimes with other terns or with Black-necked Grebes of Little Gulls. Nest of water weed with shallow cup, built on mat of floating vegetation in water, occasionally on dry shor or resting on bottom. 2-3 eggs are laid, incubation 18-22 days. Chicks are buffy above, streaked with black, paler below with few dark spots, and pale patch surrounding eye. First breeding at 2 years.

Conservation