Tern, White-winged

Conservation status:

Passage Migrant

Description:

Smaller than Whiskered with clearly shorter, thinner bill and more buoyant flight. Adult in summer identified by solid black body and underwing-coverts contrasting with greyish white flight-feathers below, white tail and upperwing. In winter, underparts white, upperparts pale grey; rump and tail white; a few show some black marks on underwing- coverts, making identification easier. Juvenile has dark ‘saddle’ and pale upperwing ; rump and sides of tail also white; dark patch on ear-coverts extends farther downwards but has whiter upward extension behind it. Moults dark ‘saddle’ to pale grey in late autumn.