General
Whiskered Tern: Small to medium-sized gray tern, black cap, and white throat, cheek, and side of neck. White vent and undertail. Gray-white underwing and flight feathers. Medium-length, pointed, red bill. Long, pointed wings with primaries tipped with black-gray. Short to medium, slightly forked tail. Short, red legs and feet. Feeds on small fish, crustaceans, and insects. Forages by catching insects in flight, picking them off the surface of the water, or diving into the water to catch fish.
Breeding and Nesting
Whiskered Tern: Three gray-green eggs with black splotches are laid in a shallow platform nest constructed with grass and reeds. The nest is built on top of floating marsh vegetation. Incubation is carried out by both sexes for 18 to 21 days. This species usually nests in large colonies.
Foraging and Feeding
Whiskered Tern: Feeds on small fish, crustaceans, and insects. Catches fish and crustaceans by hovering above water and then diving below the surface to catch prey with its bill. Catches insects by flying low over the water and snatching prey with its bill from the surface, or flying over wetlands and fields to catch insects during flight.
Vocalization
Whiskered Tern: Call is a "krekk".
Similar Species
Both Bridled Tern and Gray-backed Tern have white foreheads, black bills, and black legs and feet.