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CoastalScrapeMedium · 60 g
ID tip
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".
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Damara Tern
One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 9 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is January, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Damara Tern
The map shades 6 countries with regular records, and 2 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
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.
Easily confused with
Peruvian TernSternula lorataThe Peruvian tern is a very small species with a length of about 24 cm (9.4 in).
Saunders's TernSternula saundersiSaunders's tern shares many of the features of its close relative, the little tern, including a white body, a black-tipped yellow bill, and a black cap with a white forehead patch.
Fairy TernSternula nereisThe fairy tern is a small tern with a white body and light bluish-grey wings.
Side by side: Damara Tern vs Yellow-billed Tern · Damara Tern vs Fairy Tern · Damara Tern vs Peruvian Tern
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