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White Tern

Gygis alba

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

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White Tern

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Often mixed up with

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

Species Mix-ups
Black Noddy Anous minutus 2
Sanderling Calidris alba 1
Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistisagus 1
Brown Noddy Anous stolidus 1
Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus 1

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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