Hybridisation in terns

Hybridisation in terns is not as frequent as in gulls; however, some mixed pairings have been noted.

Marsh terns

Hybridisation between white-winged black tern and black tern has been recorded from Sweden^[1] and the Netherlands.^[2] Two juvenile birds at Chew Valley Lake, England, in September 1978 and September 1981, were also believed to be hybrids; they showed mixed characteristics of the two species, specifically a combination of a dark mantle (a feature of white-winged black) with dark patches on the breast-side (a feature of black tern, not shown by white-winged black).^[3][4]

See also

• Hybridisation in gulls