Damara Tern
Sternula balaenarum
The Damara Tern (Sternula balaenarum) is a rare skimmers, noddies, terns, and gull found in 8 countries, weighing about 60 g. The Damara tern is a species of small tern in the family Laridae which breeds in the southern summer in southern Africa and migrates to tropical African coasts to winter.
About the Damara Tern
The Damara tern is a species of small tern in the family Laridae which breeds in the southern summer in southern Africa and migrates to tropical African coasts to winter.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
At 23 centimetres or 9.1 inches in length the Damara tern is a small, rather pale tern. In breeding plumage, the adult has a black cap extending from forehead onto the nape and a very pale grey back. In flight, it displays a black triangular wing tip which runs from the carpal joint to the tip of the wing. In non-breeding plumage the adult shows white on the forehead and crown, with a black mask around the eyes extending to the nape. Immature birds are marked with buff bars across the mantle. Voice: The calls of the Damara tern are a high-pitched, sharp "tsit tsit" and quick, harsh "kid-ick".
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, May, July, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Damara Tern?
- At 23 centimetres or 9.1 inches in length the Damara tern is a small, rather pale tern. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Damara Tern?
- The Damara Tern is a medium sized bird weighing about 60 g.
- Where can you see a Damara Tern?
- The Damara Tern occurs in 8 countries, including Namibia, South Africa, Gabon, Mozambique and Angola.
- What birds look similar to a Damara Tern?
- The Damara Tern is most easily confused with the Peruvian Tern, the Saunders's Tern and the Fairy Tern.
- Is the Damara Tern endangered?
- The Damara Tern is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Damara Tern for real
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