-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Help in identifying a bird that I was lucky to take snaps of (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Stanga
- Start date
The location was London, England. However I don't recognise it as a local bird. The local lake is frequently used as a stopover by migrating birds. I have sighted several odd ones over the years, but either didn't have a camera with me, or didn't have the zoom range to get a good picture of them.
They are regular breeding birds around London, though I suspect declining as many of their breeding sites are now being taken over by Black-headed Gulls which are increasingly now breeding here.
Alexander Stöhr
Well-known member
Hello Stanga,
now knowing the location, Butty, Forresttwicher and KC have already identified your bird as a Common Tern (and I agree with them).
Yes, its easy to assume that you took the picture in the UK, but you might well have taken it somewhere in the world and then similar species has to be considered.
now knowing the location, Butty, Forresttwicher and KC have already identified your bird as a Common Tern (and I agree with them).
Yes, its easy to assume that you took the picture in the UK, but you might well have taken it somewhere in the world and then similar species has to be considered.
stevethehydra
Well-known member
It's definitely a tern. Most probably Common Tern. They're the sort of bird that isn't so common as to be everywhere all the time, but common enough to be no real surprise to see at the right time of year in the right habitat. I've certainly seen them on lakes and reservoirs in most areas of England.
The question is whether less common but very similar species, particularly Arctic Tern in the UK, can be ruled out. I don't know if this one photo is enough for that, but just on known range/distribution it's far more likely a Common Tern than anything else.
The question is whether less common but very similar species, particularly Arctic Tern in the UK, can be ruled out. I don't know if this one photo is enough for that, but just on known range/distribution it's far more likely a Common Tern than anything else.
Alexander Stöhr
Well-known member
Hello Stanga,
when I understand your last post hight, you have more pictures of this Tern? If yes, is it possible to see them? Even unsharp ones can help with ID here. (this has nothing to do with this very good picture, that well deserves to be printed).
Important features seperating Common and Arctic (and Roseate and eve rarer ones?) Tern can be judged with more confidence then, as they are much dependent on light, angle and translucency (correct therm?), I agree with Steve.
I am still in the Common Tern camp (and therefore agree with Butty, Forresttwicher, KC and Steve as said) by
when I understand your last post hight, you have more pictures of this Tern? If yes, is it possible to see them? Even unsharp ones can help with ID here. (this has nothing to do with this very good picture, that well deserves to be printed).
Important features seperating Common and Arctic (and Roseate and eve rarer ones?) Tern can be judged with more confidence then, as they are much dependent on light, angle and translucency (correct therm?), I agree with Steve.
I am still in the Common Tern camp (and therefore agree with Butty, Forresttwicher, KC and Steve as said) by
- dark edge on the outer primaries seems not narrow and sharply demarcated enough for a Artcic Tern, but this is difficult to judge here
- this dark edge is longer in many Arctic Tern according to literature
- what a pitty, that the bill isnt slightly paler and more orange, like in many Common Terns. So I think, colouration is within variation for both species (and one more case where its better to see the picture on different screens)
- yes, bill has a dark tip, very much better for Common Tern
- is the bill lenghts still within variation for an Arctic Tern? Yes, I think so, but this difficult to judge here. Profile shots might well (or not?) confirm a lenghts, that is much better for Common Tern.
Alexander Stöhr
Well-known member
Thank you for the new pictures. They well deserve them to be printed, too!
For ID: its a Common Tern, the points already mentioned (including contrast between more worn outer primaries and paler inner ones) can be judged with more confidence here, they would be uniform silvery pale (with a dark trailing edge) in Arctic Tern.
For ID: its a Common Tern, the points already mentioned (including contrast between more worn outer primaries and paler inner ones) can be judged with more confidence here, they would be uniform silvery pale (with a dark trailing edge) in Arctic Tern.
Similar threads
