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Whiskered tern – Chlidonias hybrida

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; 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.

  1. h. hybrida breeds in warmer parts of Europe and Asia. The smaller-billed and darker C. h. delalandii is found in east and south Africa, and the paler C. h. javanicus from Java to Australia. The tropical forms are resident, but European and Asian birds winter south to Africa and the Indian Subcontinent.

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 whiskered tern eats small fish, amphibians, insects and crustaceans.

It sounds like this
Recording by Patrik Ņberg from Xeno canto