White-winged Tern

Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, S Vic IMG_3758 20220416 - moulting: left patchy, right almost finished.

Notes: Small marsh tern. Often with Whiskered Tern but smaller. Breeding plumage: legs red; bill,
head, body, black; silvery wings; white rump, tail. Non-breeding plumage: grey above, white
below w. smutty dark crown & small black 'earphones'; white hindcollar; black bill, legs. Migrant
from Asian breeding grounds for summer. In flocks foraging on the wing over freshwater wetlands
or grasslands. Sometimes on coast before return migration.

Range from Pizzey & Knight^©(modified)

Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, S Vic IMG_3806 20220416 - breeding plumage, black underwing coverts diagnostic.
CLICK for another pic.

Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, S Vic IMG_3749 20220416 - three in different stages of transition. In front are Fairy
Tern ssp nereis in breeding plumage on left, non-breeding on right. CLICK for another pic showing different moults from
non-breeding plumage.

Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, S Vic IMG_3821 20220416 - breeding plumage. With Lesser Crested Tern. CLICK for
another, closer, view.

Foreshore, Cairns, FNE Qld IMG_5717 20260109 - non-breeding plumage. CLICK for one flying, Redden Isl,
Machans Beach, Cairns, FNE Qld 20251017.

Redden Isl, Machans Beach, Cairns, FNE Qld IMG_9160 20251017 - non-br. with Crested Tern and 2x Little Terns.
CLICK for one with Little Tern.

Western Treatment Plant, Port Phillip Bay, Vic IMG_3779 20180203 - non-br & juvenile. Underwing coverts white in non-
breeding plumage.

Western Treatment Plant, Port Phillip Bay, Vic IMG_3771 20180203 - non-br. Diagnostic white in rump. CLICK for another pic.