Bird Guide

Chinese Crested Tern

Thalasseus bernsteini

Critically EndangeredFishCoastalScrapeMedium · 284 g

About the Chinese Crested Tern

The Chinese crested tern is a tern in the family Laridae. It is the county bird of Lienchiang County, Fuchien.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

ID tip

It is a medium-large tern 38–43 cm long, closely similar in appearance to Sandwich tern T. sandvicensis, Cabot's tern T. acuflavidus, and lesser crested tern T. bengalensis. It is most similar to the former, differing in the bill pattern, which is the reverse of the Sandwich tern's, being yellow with a black tip; the bill is also stouter, like Cabot's. Like these, it has a full black crown in the breeding season, a pale, silvery-grey back and wings, and a white tail.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

What the Chinese Crested Tern sounds like

Recording: Ju-Hyun Lee · CC BY 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Where the Chinese Crested Tern lives

Regular range

When to see the Chinese Crested Tern

Peak activity in July · a summer visitor species across most of its range

Easily confused with

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