A whiskered tern in flight

Wings wide open, the Whiskered Tern writes its name across the sky. Winter whites never looked this graceful. 🤍🕊️✨

This is a Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida) in non-breeding/winter plumage, identifiable by:

  • White underparts with pale grey wash
  • Dark ear patch against white head — classic non-breeding tern pattern
  • Short, dark bill
  • Slightly forked tail visible
  • Marsh tern proportions — broader wings, more buoyant flight than sea terns
  • The brownish-grey wash on the upperwings

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.