Saunders's Tern

Sternula saundersi (Hume, 1877)

Saunders's Tern, Sternula saundersi, breeds around the islands of the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, off Somalia and Socotra, and patchily as far as Pakistan, north-west India and Adam’s Bridge between India and Sri Lanka. Outside the breeding season it reaches coastal Tanzania, the Seychelles, Madagascar, the Chagos Archipelago and the Maldives. It is a tern in the gull family. In breeding plumage it can be told from the little tern by its straight-edged forehead patch, more black on the outer primaries, and darker legs and feet.

Order

Charadriiformes

Family

Laridae — Gulls, Terns, Skimmers

Breeding range

Africa, Palearctic: islands of Red Sea and Persian Gulf, off Somalia and Socotra, patchily to coast of Pakistan, nw India, and Adam's Bridge is. (between India and Sri Lanka)

Nonbreeding range

to coastal Tanzania, all Seychelles groups and Madagascar (tropical w Indian Ocean), Chagos Arch. and Maldives (nc Indian Ocean)