Breeding adult has distinctive dark smoky gray body and contrasting white cheeks (can look like broad white
Not listed
Indigenous: Budhagalagala
At a glance
FamilyGulls, Terns, and Skimmers
SizeMedium
RarityCommon
HabitatThe size, black cap, strong bill (29–34 mm in males, 25–27 mm and stubbier in females, with a pronounced gonys) and more positive flight recall common or Arctic tern , but the short, forked-looking tail and dark grey breeding plumage above and below are typically marsh tern characteristics.
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from October to January.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Pere Josa
Range map
Range map
3073visible hotspots
97067visible records
5states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
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 et Hirundine natam ".
Behavior
The whiskered tern eats small fish, amphibians, insects and crustaceans.
Gallery
Regional timing
Western Australia
Queensland
New South Wales
Northern Territory
South Australia
Victoria
Australian Capital Territory
Tasmania