White-winged Tern

Chlidonias leucopterus

Other Names

  White-winged Black Tern   Guifette leucoptère   Weißflügel-Seeschwalbe   Fumarel Aliblanco   Vitvingad tärna   Witvleugelstern   Mignattino ali bianche

World: NW Italy, central and eastern Europe then E through Siberia, Transbaikal, northern Mongolia as far as Amurland. It winters in Africa and from southern Asia S to Australia and New Zealand (where it is also known to have bred).

Kenya: Very common passage migrant (August-May) on inland lakes and dams. Particularly abundant on lakes Turkana, Victoria, Nakuru and Naivasha. Uncommon on the coast (although may be found on freshwater a short distance inland).

In full breeding plumage this is a highly distinctive bird since, as its alternate name suggests, it is a black tern with white wings! However in Kenya it is seen in its far less distinctive non-breeding plumage. This can make it difficult to distinguish from the larger, longer billed Whiskered Tern but the White-winged Tern has a white rump which contrasts with the rest of the body colour. These are common on Lake Baringo although they can be seen in numbers on Lake Nakuru alongside Gull-billed Terns.