White Tern
White TernWhite TernWhite TernWhite Tern

White Tern

Gygis alba

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Insufficient data
overall probability at Marino Ballena National Park
1 Verified records at Marino Ballena National Park
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The Atlantic white tern (Gygis alba), also known as the common white tern, is a small seabird found in the Atlantic Ocean. It is sometimes known as the fairy tern, although this name is potentially confusing as it is also the common name of Sternula nereis. Other names for the species include angel tern and white noddy. The blue-billed white tern (Gygis candida) and the little white tern (Gygis microrhyncha) have sometimes been considered as subspecies of the Atlantic white tern. Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Marino Ballena National Park

Royal Tern

Royal Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus maximus

5–10% · With luck
Laughing Gull
LC

Laughing Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucophaeus atricilla

<5% · Rare
Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus sandvicensis

<5% · Rare
Brown Noddy
LC

Brown Noddy

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anous stolidus

<5% · Rare
Black Tern
LC

Black Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlidonias niger

<5% · Rare
Franklin's Gull
LC

Franklin's Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucophaeus pipixcan

<5% · Rare
Elegant Tern
NT

Elegant Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus elegans

<5% · Rare
Gull-billed Tern

Gull-billed Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gelochelidon nilotica

Insufficient data
Common Tern
LC

Common Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna hirundo

Insufficient data
Least Tern
LC

Least Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sternula antillarum

Insufficient data
Sabine's Gull
LC

Sabine's Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Xema sabini

Insufficient data
Bridled Tern
LC

Bridled Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Onychoprion anaethetus

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

📊

Fewer than 5 records of White Tern at Marino Ballena National Park — not enough to chart months honestly.

☀️ 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 Isla del Coco National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
70–80%
2 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
3 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
4 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
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