Description:

Slender, medium-small tern, with wings more rounded; shortish tail with only slight fork. In breeding white cheeks contrast with grey underparts; lacks greatly elongated outer tail feathers. In non-breeding, from Whitewinged by larger bill, grey rump concolorous with back and tail, and different patterning of black on head.

Distribution:

Uncommon passage migrant through Gilgit-Baltistan, rare in the western parts. Usually make short stops around lakes, marshes, streams and rivers with nearby vegetation and grasslands. During passage from lowlands up to 4200m high.

Behavior:

Flies back and forth or flutters above water, then swoops or drops to pick up small surface items; infrequently engages in plunge-diving. Often hawks insects over fields and lake margins. Feeds on terrestrial and aquatic insects, e.g. water beetles, Odonata and their larvae, grasshoppers, flying ants, spiders; also tadpoles and frogs, small crabs, small fish.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Whiskered Tern in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Whiskered Tern

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.