White-winged Tern
White-winged TernWhite-winged TernWhite-winged TernWhite-winged Tern

White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · With luck
overall probability at Queen Elizabeth National Park
116 Verified records at Queen Elizabeth National Park
November Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The white-winged tern or white-winged black tern (Chlidonias leucopterus) is a species of tern in the family Laridae. It is a small species generally found in or near bodies of fresh water across much of the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The genus name is from Ancient Greek khelidonios, "swallow-like", from khelidon, "swallow". The name 'white-winged tern' is the standard in most English-speaking countries; in the United Kingdom, this name is also the one used by the formal ornithological recording authorities, but the older alternative 'white-winged black tern' is still frequent in popular use. Wikipedia →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a White-winged Tern sighting in Queen Elizabeth National Park, based on 116 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Queen Elizabeth National Park

Whiskered Tern
LC

Whiskered Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlidonias hybrida

<5% · Rare
Grey-hooded Gull

Grey-hooded Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

10–20% · With luck
Gull-billed Tern

Gull-billed Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gelochelidon nilotica

10–20% · With luck
African Skimmer
LC

African Skimmer

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rynchops flavirostris

10–20% · With luck
Lesser Black-backed Gull
LC

Lesser Black-backed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus fuscus

<5% · Rare
Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Insufficient data
Slender-billed Gull

Slender-billed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus genei

Insufficient data
African Jacana
LC

African Jacana

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actophilornis africanus

40–50% · Likely
Spur-winged Lapwing
LC

Spur-winged Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus spinosus

40–50% · Likely
African Wattled Lapwing
LC

African Wattled Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus senegallus

40–50% · Likely
Water Thick-knee
LC

Water Thick-knee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Burhinus vermiculatus

30–40% · Possible
Senegal Lapwing
LC

Senegal Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus lugubris

30–40% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
10–20
Feb
10–20
Mar
5–10
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
10–20
Sep
5–10
Oct
30–40
Nov
10–20
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 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
2 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
20–30%
3 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
10–20%
4 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
5 Yala National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
10–20%
6 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
5–10%
7 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
5–10%
8 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
5–10%
9 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
10 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
5–10%
11 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
5–10%
12 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
5–10%
13 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
14 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
15 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
16 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
17 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
18 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
<5%
19 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
20 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
21 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
22 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
23 Khao Sok National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
<5%
24 Wilpattu National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
<5%
25 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
26 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
27 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
28 Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park 🇲🇳 Mongolia
<5%
29 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
30 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
31 Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary 🇲🇾 Malaysia
<5%
32 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
33 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
34 Daintree National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
35 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
36 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
37 Way Kambas National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
38 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
39 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
40 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
41 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
42 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
43 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
44 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
45 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
46 Minneriya National Park 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
Insufficient data
47 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
Insufficient data
48 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
49 Litchfield National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
50 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
51 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
52 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
53 Bali Barat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
Insufficient data
54 Taroko National Park 🇹🇼 Taiwan
Insufficient data
55 Aoraki Mount Cook National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
56 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
57 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
Insufficient data
58 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
59 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
Insufficient data
60 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
Insufficient data
61 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
62 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a White-winged Tern in Queen Elizabeth National Park?

About 8% of wildlife watchers report a White-winged Tern sighting in Queen Elizabeth National Park, based on 116 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see White-winged Tern in Queen Elizabeth National Park?

November has the highest sighting rate for White-winged Tern in Queen Elizabeth National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Queen Elizabeth National Park