THE BIRDS OF SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE
THE BIRDS OF SOUTH
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN – Chlidonias leucopterus
As with all reports of
rare and scarce birds they are subject to ratification by the respective
rarities committees
White-winged Black Tern breed on freshwater marshes across southeast Europe to central Asia, in winter they migrate to Africa, southern Asia and Australia and are a vagrant to the British Isles with between ten and forty records annually. The word 'tern' probably originates from the Old English word 'stearn' meaning sea-swallow. Some historical name for Tern include; Pick Tarnie, Darr, Tarrock, Purre, Kirr Mew and Skiff.
There has been one White-winged Black Tern reported from S. Gloucestershire, in;
1990: (1)
On May 3rd an adult was identified in flight with Black Tern heading up the estuary at Aust Warth. This occurrence constitutes the first record of this species for S. Gloucestershire.