Appearance:

Told from Common Nightjar by evenly broad pale bands on coverts, no dark leading edge of wing and rufous necklace all around nape. Underparts more rufous than C. Nightjar, and white throat-patch larger. Sexes are very similar, and both show white patches on wings and tail. Larger than C.N. and with experience possible to identify in silhouetting flight by it's larger head and longer tail.

Sound:

Female calls with rasping series of "eech-eech-eech-eech". Flightcall resembles C.N. Song very diagnostic, and not likely to be confused with any other sound. May be described as a fairly deep and resonant knocking, with a steam-engine-like rhythm; "ko-tok, ko-tok, ko-tok, ko-tok ".

Song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-Photo:Hans Verdaat, Licence,Link.

CC-Photo:Bram Borkent, Licence,Link.

CC-Photo:Jorrit Vlot, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Breeding adult easily identified by white tail/rump combined with jet black under wing coverts and silvery upper wing. Immature with brownish back contrasting with pale, silvery upper wings and pale rump. Broad white collar, and lacks dark breast patch of immature Black Tern. Adult winter most liable to confusion with other terns, but upperparts much paler than Black Tern. Contrasting dark outer primaries and secondaries to rest of wing. Often retains some black under coverts even in winter which is diagnostic if seen. Slightly more compact than Black Tern and often recalls Little gull in shape. Bill noticeably shorter and thinner than in Whiskered Tern.

Sound:

Mostly silent away from breeding ground. Most diagnostic call a dry, rolling "krrrrrr-ta-ta" where the rolling is followed by one or two accentuated syllables, or just simply "krrrrrr". Used in excitement.

Call:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

CC-sound:Marco Dragonetti, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Dick Hoek, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Lars Buckx, Licence,Link.