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| White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus
- Breeding plumaged adult in flight from below |
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| Photographer : | © Gnanaskandan KesavaBharathi |
| Location : | Kelambakkam Backwaters, near Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Date : |
5 May 2016 |
| English synonyms: | Whitewinged Tern, White-winged Black Tern |
| Bird Family : | Sterninae - Terns & Noddies |
| Bird Group : | CICONIIFORMES |
| Red Data Status : | Least Concern |
| Remarks : | There were close to 150 birds observed over a period of 2 hours, from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. 50% of them were in full breeding plumage, many in partial breeding plumage and some in non-breeding plumage. They were shuttling between either side (north & south) of the main road connecting OMR & ECR feeding mainly on the Shrimps which the high tide had brought in. They were occasionally accompanied by Caspian Terns, Gull-billed Terns and a good flock (80+) Brown-headed Gulls + 2 Slender-billed Gulls. The flock followed a similar feeding pattern all over as they start from east flying west and flying back to east end & starting over again. House Crows were observed mobbing a few who had caught a fish. - GK |
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