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 →
5–10% of wildlife watchers report a White-winged Tern sighting in Murchison Falls National Park, based on 54 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Murchison Falls National Park
Whiskered Tern
Chlidonias hybrida
African Skimmer
Rynchops flavirostris
Grey-hooded Gull
Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus
Gull-billed Tern
Gelochelidon nilotica
Black-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Slender-billed Gull
Chroicocephalus genei
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus
Spur-winged Lapwing
Vanellus spinosus
African Jacana
Actophilornis africanus
African Wattled Lapwing
Vanellus senegallus
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucos
Black-headed Lapwing
Vanellus tectus
📅 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 Murchison Falls National Park?
About 5% of wildlife watchers report a White-winged Tern sighting in Murchison Falls National Park, based on 54 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see White-winged Tern in Murchison Falls National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for White-winged Tern in Murchison Falls National Park in our monthly data.