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Difference between revisions of "Whiskered Tern" - BirdForum Opus

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(Picture of perched bird added. ID re-written more info added. Referenced)
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;[[:Category:Chlidonias|Chlidonias]] hybrida
 
;[[:Category:Chlidonias|Chlidonias]] hybrida
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[[Image:Whiskered_Tern.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Dick Hoogenboom<br />Photo taken: Lesvos Greece.]]
+
[[Image:Whiskered_Tern.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Dick+Hoogenboom|Dick Hoogenboom}}<br />Photo taken: Lesvos, [[Greece]]]]
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==Identification==
 
==Identification==
 +
24-28 cm<br />
 +
'''Adult Summer'''
 +
*Black cap
 +
*White cheeks and sides of neck
 +
*Dark grey underparts
 +
*Lighter greyish above
 +
*Red bill
 +
'''Adult Winter'''
 +
*Black cap shrinks to leave a finely barred rear crown, with solid black patch behind the eye.
 +
*Black bill
 +
'''Juvenile'''
 +
*Pale brown scaly upperparts
 +
*Whitish rump
 +
====Similar Species====
 +
[[Image:17075Whiskered Tern2 copy filtered.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|armando+tomas+v|armando tomas v }}<br />Delta Llobregat, Viladecans, Barcelona, [[Spain]], May 2005 ]]
 +
Summer adults resemble [[Common Tern]]s more than [[Black Tern]]s due to their black and white heads, but the short, broad wings and tails are typical of 'marsh terns'. and their underparts are so dark that the white cheeks stand out boldly.
  
−
In summer plumage their black cap and white cheeks makes them look more like [[Common Tern]]s than [[Black Tern]]s but they have the short, broad wings and tails typical of 'marsh terns' and their underparts are such a deep grey that the white cheeks stand out boldly.
+
Juveniles  have a dark mantle reminiscent of the saddle on a [[White-winged Black Tern]]; however, it is not so dark in the Whiskered Tern. In addition the rump is not as conspicuously white as on a White-winged Black Tern and the wings of a Whiskered Tern are a more uniform grey.
−
 
 
−
In juvenile plumage, they have a dark mantle recalling the saddle effect which is a key feature of [[White-winged Black Tern]]s. In a Whiskered Tern, however, this saddle is paler, browner and is noticeably interrupted by pale scaly markings. Also, the rump is not as conspicuously white as on a White-winged Black Tern and the wings of a Whiskered Tern are a more uniform grey. These features are also helpful in winter plumage when the crown goes mostly white, leaving a definite dark horizontal line going back from the eye. Also the bill is heavier than in other 'marsh terns'.
 
  
 +
The bill is heavier than in other 'marsh terns'.
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
−
[[Europe]] and [[Asia]].  Migrates to winter in sub-Saharan west [[Africa]] although some birds now remain in the Mediterranean, birds breeding in eastern Europe winter in large numbers in the Nile Delta and eastern and southern Africa. Accidental vagrant to [[Cape May]], [[New Jersey]] (2 records) with one moving south to [[Delaware]].
+
[[Europe]] and [[Asia]].  They migrate to sub-Saharan west [[Africa]] in the winter, although a few birds will remain in the Mediterranean. Birds which breed in eastern Europe winter in large numbers in the Nile Delta and eastern and southern [[Africa]].
  
 +
Accidental '''vagrant''' to [[Cape May]], [[New Jersey]] (2 records) with one moving south to [[Delaware]].
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
 +
*''C. h. hybrida'':
 +
:*South-western [[Europe]] to [[Kazakstan]]; winters [[Africa]] and south-western [[Asia]]
 +
*''C. h. swinhoei'':
 +
:*Transbaikalia to eastern [[China]] and [[Taiwan]]
 +
*''C. h. indicus'':
 +
:*Eastern [[Iran]] and [[Pakistan]] to northern [[India]]
 +
*''C. h. javanicus'':
 +
:*North-eastern [[India]] and [[Sri Lanka]]; winters [[Malaysia]] and [[Indonesia]]
 +
*''C. h. sclateri'':
 +
:*[[South Africa]] and [[Madagascar]]
 +
*''C. h. delalandii'':
 +
:*[[Kenya]] to [[Tanzania]]
 +
*''C. h. fluviatilis'':
 +
:*[[Australia]]; disperses to [[New Guinea]] and [[Moluccas]]
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
Inland marshes, pools and fishponds.
 
Inland marshes, pools and fishponds.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
 +
====Diet====
 
The diet includes terrestrial and aquatic insects, spiders, frogs, tadpoles, small crabs, shrimps and small fish.  
 
The diet includes terrestrial and aquatic insects, spiders, frogs, tadpoles, small crabs, shrimps and small fish.  
−
 
+
====Breeding====
 
The nest is a heap of aquatic vegetation or dry grass, placed either on floating  vegetation.  They  nest in colonies.
 
The nest is a heap of aquatic vegetation or dry grass, placed either on floating  vegetation.  They  nest in colonies.
−
 
+
==References==
 +
#BirdLife International
 +
#Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966
 +
#Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
 +
#Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
 +
#{{Ref-Clements6thDec08}}
 +
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Chlidonias+hybrida}}
 
{{GSearch|Chlidonias+hybrida}}

Revision as of 20:47, 14 April 2009

Chlidonias hybrida
Photo by Dick Hoogenboom
Photo taken: Lesvos, Greece

Identification

24-28 cm
Adult Summer

  • Black cap
  • White cheeks and sides of neck
  • Dark grey underparts
  • Lighter greyish above
  • Red bill

Adult Winter

  • Black cap shrinks to leave a finely barred rear crown, with solid black patch behind the eye.
  • Black bill

Juvenile

  • Pale brown scaly upperparts
  • Whitish rump

Similar Species

Photo by armando tomas v
Delta Llobregat, Viladecans, Barcelona, Spain, May 2005

Summer adults resemble Common Terns more than Black Terns due to their black and white heads, but the short, broad wings and tails are typical of 'marsh terns'. and their underparts are so dark that the white cheeks stand out boldly.

Juveniles have a dark mantle reminiscent of the saddle on a White-winged Black Tern; however, it is not so dark in the Whiskered Tern. In addition the rump is not as conspicuously white as on a White-winged Black Tern and the wings of a Whiskered Tern are a more uniform grey.

The bill is heavier than in other 'marsh terns'.

Distribution

Europe and Asia. They migrate to sub-Saharan west Africa in the winter, although a few birds will remain in the Mediterranean. Birds which breed in eastern Europe winter in large numbers in the Nile Delta and eastern and southern Africa.

Accidental vagrant to Cape May, New Jersey (2 records) with one moving south to Delaware.

Taxonomy

  • C. h. hybrida:
  • C. h. swinhoei:
  • C. h. indicus:
  • C. h. javanicus:
  • C. h. sclateri:
  • C. h. delalandii:
  • C. h. fluviatilis:

Habitat

Inland marshes, pools and fishponds.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet includes terrestrial and aquatic insects, spiders, frogs, tadpoles, small crabs, shrimps and small fish.

Breeding

The nest is a heap of aquatic vegetation or dry grass, placed either on floating vegetation. They nest in colonies.

References

  1. BirdLife International
  2. Collins Pocket Guide to British Birds 1966
  3. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
  4. Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
  5. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.

Recommended Citation

External Links

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