Birdsong field guide
Little White-Tern
Gygis microrhyncha
A small, ethereal seabird of the tropical Pacific known for its pure white plumage and the unusual habit of balancing its eggs directly on bare tree branches.
What it sounds like
High-pitched, raspy 'kwee-kwee' notes and dry, guttural clicking sounds.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto
Field notes
- Distinguished from the Common White Tern by its significantly smaller size and more delicate, slender bill.
- Lays a single egg directly on a fork or depression in a tree limb without building any nest structure.
- Possesses translucent primary feathers that glow when backlit by the sun during flight.
- Has a distinctive black eye-ring that creates an 'enlarged eye' appearance, aiding in low-light foraging.
- The species is largely endemic to the Marquesas Islands and other small island groups in the central Pacific.
Habitat
Tropical oceanic islands, coral atolls, and coastal forested areas.
Range
Central Pacific Ocean, primarily the Marquesas, Line, and Phoenix Islands.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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