Whiskered AND Little Tern? Thailand (1 Viewer)

Aladdin

Well-known member

• Oct 17, 2019

• #1

Dear members and bird watchers

I have identified the attached birds as:

1) Whiskered Tern Picture 1 and 2

2) Little Tern Picture 3 and 4 I base this identity on the (what I think) longer bill and the black wing tip and the dark shoulders

But I am really not sure

Kind regards and happy birding
Aladdin

 

Attachments

• 
  1013.jpg

  36.3 KB · Views: 63
• 
  1015.jpg

  27.4 KB · Views: 53
• 
  1012.jpg

  30 KB · Views: 87
• 
  1014.jpg

  21.2 KB · Views: 88

S

SteveClifton

Well-known member

• Oct 17, 2019

• #2

I would say pics #1-3 are all Whiskered Terns. Not entirely sure about the last one: could be Little Tern but a difficult angle...The fact that its bill appears to have a noticeable down-curve is supportive of LT.

 

Last edited: Oct 17, 2019

Deb Burhinus

Used to be well known! 😎

• Oct 17, 2019

• #3

No.4 is a 1w Little Tern imo - proportionally long wings which show extensive ‘dark’ P’s and dark coverts on the leading edge of the wing - jizz!?

 

Aladdin

Well-known member

• Oct 18, 2019

• #4

SteveClifton said:

I would say pics #1-3 are all Whiskered Terns. Not entirely sure about the last one: could be Little Tern but a difficult angle...The fact that its bill appears to have a noticeable down-curve is supportive of LT.

Click to expand...

Thank you

I was thinking the very same. But then I discovered that the bird in picture #3 looked to be black on the wing tip or at least the front of the wing, and the bill looks a little longer. At least more slender.

Again, itis very hard to see as they move very fast and to take pictures from a small boat is not eay. But I will go for 1-2 Whiskered and #4Little

Kind regards and happy birding
Aladdin

 

Aladdin

Well-known member

• Oct 18, 2019

• #5

Deb Burhinus said:

No.4 is a 1w Little Tern imo - proportionally long wings which show extensive ‘dark’ P’s and dark coverts on the leading edge of the wing - jizz!?

Click to expand...

Than you very much!

For me it also look like a LT comparing with my book. But many times it is hard to see on a picture as well with the shadows and light. Grey turns white etc.


I will go for Little Tern

Kind regards and happy birding
Aladdin

 

J

johnallcock

Well-known member

• Oct 18, 2019

• #6

#1-2 Whiskered Terns
#3 Common Tern
#4 Another Common Tern IMO. Crown pattern and structure don't look right for Little Tern to me.

 

Deb Burhinus

Used to be well known! 😎

• Oct 18, 2019

• #7

I hadnt looked at pics 1-3 when I posted earlier but agree that pic 3 is Common and so too Common becomes the best contender for no 4 with better deliberation of plumage, particularly primaries.

Structure is often difficult to judge accurately from still shots, especially with a face on flight shot (and of course for all of us much easier in the field!)

(apologies Aladdin!)

 

rollingthunder

Well-known member

• Oct 18, 2019

• #8

#4 looks like a juvenile Common Tern to me.

Laurie -

 

Aladdin

Well-known member

• Oct 20, 2019

• #9

rollingthunder said:

#4 looks like a juvenile Common Tern to me.

Laurie -

Click to expand...

Cheers

I based my identification as a Little tern on the dark wing front as my book have a shoulder on the little tern. But of course, it don´t make it easier with the different stages of moulding in to winter plumage.

Checking internet and the common have evenly grey wings and I have not seen any "dark" shoulders and thus I put it as a Little tern

Anyway, anyone know if I can say " TERN IN ECLIPSE PLUMAGE"? Or is this only for ducks and sunbirds etc. and tern and gulls are moulding plumage?

Kind regards and happy birding
Aladdin

 

bitterntwisted

Graham Howard Shortt

• Oct 20, 2019

• #10

Aladdin said:

Anyway, anyone know if I can say " TERN IN ECLIPSE PLUMAGE"? Or is this only for ducks and sunbirds etc. and tern and gulls are moulding plumage?

Click to expand...

AIUI, Eclipse is just for ducks post-breeding camouflaged moult to protect them while moulting primaries. Other birds would be in 'transitional' plumage when moulting from summer to winter and vice versa.

 

Aladdin

Well-known member

• Oct 21, 2019

• #11

bitterntwisted said:

AIUI, Eclipse is just for ducks post-breeding camouflaged moult to protect them while moulting primaries. Other birds would be in 'transitional' plumage when moulting from summer to winter and vice versa.

Click to expand...

Thank you very much!

I thought Sunbirds had eclipse plumage as well. But I have mostly read about ducks in eclipse.

Kind regards and happy birding
Aladdin