Inca Tern
Larosterna inca
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Caradriformes)
- FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
- GenusLarosterna
- SpeciesLarosterna inca (Inca Tern)
The Inca tern (Larosterna inca) is a near-threatened species of tern in the subfamily Sterninae of the family Laridae (the gulls, terns, and skimmers). It is found along the Pacific coasts of Chile, Ecuador and Perú, and has appeared as a vagrant in Central America and Hawaii. Wikipedia →
5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Inca Tern sighting in Machalilla National Park, based on 81 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Machalilla National Park
Laughing Gull
Leucophaeus atricilla
Royal Tern
Thalasseus maximus
Elegant Tern
Thalasseus elegans
Franklin's Gull
Leucophaeus pipixcan
Sabine's Gull
Xema sabini
Sandwich Tern
Thalasseus sandvicensis
Grey-hooded Gull
Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus
South American Tern
Sterna hirundinacea
Gull-billed Tern
Gelochelidon nilotica
Common Tern
Sterna hirundo
Black Skimmer
Rynchops niger
Dominican Gull
Larus dominicanus
📅 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
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paracas National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 2 | Machalilla National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 3 | Soberanía National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 4 | Galápagos Islands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Inca Tern in Machalilla National Park?
About 9% of wildlife watchers report a Inca Tern sighting in Machalilla National Park, based on 81 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Inca Tern in Machalilla National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Inca Tern in Machalilla National Park in our monthly data.