Whiskered Tern
Chlidonias hybrida
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Caradriformes)
- FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
- GenusChlidonias (Marsh Terns)
- SpeciesChlidonias hybrida (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". Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Whiskered Tern sighting in Białowieża National Park, based on 111 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Białowieża National Park
Black Tern
Chlidonias niger
White-winged Tern
Chlidonias leucopterus
Black-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Common Tern
Sterna hirundo
Caspian Gull
Larus cachinnans
Common Gull
Larus canus
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutus
Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus
Little Tern
Sternula albifrons
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatus
Mediterranean Gull
Ichthyaetus melanocephalus
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Whiskered Tern in Białowieża National Park?
About 13% of wildlife watchers report a Whiskered Tern sighting in Białowieża National Park, based on 111 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Whiskered Tern in Białowieża National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Whiskered Tern in Białowieża National Park in our monthly data.