Yellow-billed Tern
Sternula superciliaris
The Yellow-billed Tern (Sternula superciliaris) is a uncommon skimmers, noddies, terns, and gull found in 15 countries, weighing about 46 g. The yellow-billed tern is a small seabird found in South America.
About the Yellow-billed Tern
The yellow-billed tern is a small seabird found in South America. It is a species of tern in the family Laridae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are rivers, swamps, and freshwater lakes.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
It measures approximately 23–25 centimeters in body length and weighs 40–57 grams. It has a yellow beak and feet, silvery grey wings and white underbody and forehead. Its crown, nape, and eyeline are black. Juveniles are brown and white without the black cap.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Costa Rica.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in September. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Yellow-billed Tern?
- It measures approximately 23–25 centimeters in body length and weighs 40–57 grams. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Yellow-billed Tern?
- The Yellow-billed Tern is a small sized bird weighing about 46 g.
- Where can you see a Yellow-billed Tern?
- The Yellow-billed Tern occurs in 15 countries, including Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Argentina and Uruguay.
- What birds look similar to a Yellow-billed Tern?
- The Yellow-billed Tern is most easily confused with the Fairy Tern, the Peruvian Tern and the Damara Tern.
- Is the Yellow-billed Tern endangered?
- The Yellow-billed Tern is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Yellow-billed Tern for real
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