The Whiskered Tern, buoyant marsh-tern over Mediterranean lagoons
A marsh tern of delicate elegance, the Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida) blends the sleek lines of a tern with a graceful, fluttering foraging flight. Staging over Salins des Pesquiers during seasonal migration, it skims the water surface snatching aquatic insects and small prey on the wing.
My field observations in the Var — sites, months and context
✓ Aug 2026 Synthesis (1 record)Photographed in smooth banking flight against a cloudless blue sky above Salins des Pesquiers in Hyères in August 2026, showing pure white underwings and alert facial markings.
Commented in situ photo gallery
1 telephoto photographs taken in the Var department (Rule 11)
Recognizing the species on my photos — visible details
Length 24-28 cm. Black cap contrasting with pure white cheeks ('whiskers'), pearl-grey mantle and wings, dark slate-grey underparts transitioning to paler tones in late summer. Dark red bill and legs.
Brackish marshes, vegetation-rich wetlands, quiet coastal lagoons and salt flats.
Dragonflies, water beetles, tadpoles and tiny fish scooped cleanly off the surface without diving.
Photographing the species: field experience
Photographing its buoyant, wavering flight against the deep blue Provençal sky showcases the aerodynamic purity of its wings without harsh water glares.
- •Unlike marine terns that plunge deeply beneath the surface, the whiskered tern daintily plucks prey from the surface in flight.
- •It nests on floating rafts of water lilies and aquatic vegetation in shallow freshwater marshes.
- •It undertakes lengthy seasonal migrations to winter across sub-Saharan African wetlands and the Nile basin.
