White-winged Tern
Chlidonias leucopterus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Caradriformes)
- FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
- GenusChlidonias (Marsh Terns)
- SpeciesChlidonias leucopterus (White-winged Tern)
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% of wildlife watchers report a White-winged Tern sighting in Tsavo East National Park, based on 56 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Tsavo East National Park
Gull-billed Tern
Gelochelidon nilotica
Lesser Crested Tern
Thalasseus bengalensis
Common Tern
Sterna hirundo
Sooty Gull
Ichthyaetus hemprichii
Crested Tern
Thalasseus bergii
Little Tern
Sternula albifrons
Roseate Tern
Sterna dougallii
Brown Noddy
Anous stolidus
White-cheeked Tern
Sterna repressa
Lesser Noddy
Anous tenuirostris
Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia
Sooty Tern
Onychoprion fuscatus
📅 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 White-winged Tern in Tsavo East National Park?
About 3% of wildlife watchers report a White-winged Tern sighting in Tsavo East National Park, based on 56 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see White-winged Tern in Tsavo East National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for White-winged Tern in Tsavo East National Park in our monthly data.