Tern species (Greece, Europe) (1 Viewer)

[Dimitra_v]

On May 5th I went to a birding hotspot but not for birding (I was upset). I only managed to get these bad pictures. This is probably a lifer for me. I thought at first that it was a common tern but the swallow-like forked tail is clearly not there. I am confused because I have little experience with terns, but this is a whiskered tern, right? The shape and length of the tail seems good, though you can't really see the gray body because of the bad lighting. Some color is visible on the slender bill and its looks reddish.

 

[Butty]

Little tern. Stumpy structure is right, and relatively long bill. Not sure I trust the colours at all, but the bill looks yellow.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Dimitra,
a Whiskered Tern can be excluded by to long bill and pale belly.
I agree with Butty, its a Little Tern:

• narrow blackish edge to wing by blackish outer primaries
• the right jizz with long bill and short tail = chicken-like jizz
• and narrow scissor like wings, against a Whiskered Tern

 

[Dimitra_v]

thank you both, I really needed help with this one