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Species › Birds

Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon nilotica

Order
Charadriiformes
Family
Laridae
Presence in the Strait
Migrant
Abundance
rare
Protection in Spain
Special protection (List)
In Spanish
Pagaza piconegra

35% of its open observations in the area are from April.

Photograph: Afsarnayakkan, CC BY-SA 4.0, vía Wikimedia Commons

Length
35–38 cm
Wingspan
95–110 cm
Weight
225 g
050100LENGTH35–38 cmWINGSPAN95–110 cmcentimetres

Presence in the Strait

Rare migrant.

Identification

Similar to a Sandwich Tern but more robust, longer legs and short, stout, all-black bill. Leisurely flight, similar to a gull, with broader wings than a Sandwich Tern, less forked tail and grey rump. Winter plumage includes white head with a dark ear patch. Juveniles are similar to a juvenile Sandwich Tern in the wing pattern, but with much plainer upperparts.

Movements

Observation of migrating birds from March to the middle of October, with peaks in 1st hf. April and 1st hf. August.

Ring recoveries

Denmark (1).

Bioestrecho editorial text. Last revised: 8 September 2026.

Gallery

Photographs from iNaturalist observations with the licence checked file by file. Those marked “Strait” were taken within the area; place and date are those of each observation.