White Tern
White TernWhite TernWhite TernWhite Tern

White Tern

Gygis alba

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
70–80% · Very likely
overall probability at Isla del Coco National Park
122 Verified records at Isla del Coco National Park
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The Atlantic white tern (Gygis alba), also known as the common white tern, is a small seabird found in the Atlantic Ocean. It is sometimes known as the fairy tern, although this name is potentially confusing as it is also the common name of Sternula nereis. Other names for the species include angel tern and white noddy. The blue-billed white tern (Gygis candida) and the little white tern (Gygis microrhyncha) have sometimes been considered as subspecies of the Atlantic white tern. Wikipedia →

70–80% of wildlife watchers report a White Tern sighting in Isla del Coco National Park, based on 122 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Isla del Coco National Park

Brown Noddy
LC

Brown Noddy

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anous stolidus

60–70% · Likely
Franklin's Gull
LC

Franklin's Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucophaeus pipixcan

10–20% · With luck
Black Noddy
LC

Black Noddy

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anous minutus

10–20% · With luck
Laughing Gull
LC

Laughing Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucophaeus atricilla

10–20% · With luck
Common Tern
LC

Common Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna hirundo

5–10% · With luck
Arctic Tern
LC

Arctic Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna paradisaea

Insufficient data
Bonaparte's Gull

Bonaparte's Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus philadelphia

Insufficient data
Sooty Tern

Sooty Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Onychoprion fuscatus

Insufficient data
Whimbrel
LC

Whimbrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius phaeopus

70–80% · Very likely
Semipalmated Plover
LC

Semipalmated Plover

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Charadrius semipalmatus

60–70% · Likely
Wandering Tattler

Wandering Tattler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa incana

50–60% · Likely
Hudsonian Whimbrel

Hudsonian Whimbrel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius hudsonicus

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

70–80
Jan
80–90
Feb
80–90
Mar
90–100
Apr
80–90
May
80–90
Jun
70–80
Jul
70–80
Aug
90–100
Sep
70–80
Oct
40–50
Nov
40–50
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

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

# Park Country Probability
1 Isla del Coco National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
70–80%
2 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
3 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
4 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a White Tern in Isla del Coco National Park?

About 78% of wildlife watchers report a White Tern sighting in Isla del Coco National Park, based on 122 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see White Tern in Isla del Coco National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for White Tern in Isla del Coco National Park in our monthly data.

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