Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon nilotica

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers (Laridae) · Charadriiformes (Charadriiformes)

eBird · Birds of the World

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Often mixed up with

In quizzes, players most often confuse Gull-billed Tern with these birds— either this species was picked by mistake, or the other way around.

Species	Mix-ups
Little Tern Sternula albifrons How to tell them apart	67
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida How to tell them apart	53
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia How to tell them apart	35
Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus How to tell them apart	27
Black Tern Chlidonias niger How to tell them apart	15

Family

Laridae is a family of seabirds in the order Charadriiformes that includes the gulls, terns (including white terns), noddies, and skimmers. It includes 105 species arranged into 23 genera. They are an adaptable group of mostly aerial birds found worldwide.

Order

Charadriiformes (, from Charadrius, the type genus of family Charadriidae) is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 390 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most charadriiform birds live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic (seabirds), others frequent deserts, and a few are found in dense forest.

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