Charadriiformes / Laridae / Gygis
Blue-billed White Tern
Gygis candida
Introduction
A small seabird in the family Laridae, found in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Previously considered conspecific with the white tern and little white tern, it is now recognized as a separate species.
Description
Medium-sized all-white tern. Eyes are narrow and dark. Bill is black with a blue base, thick and daggerlike with a sharp-pointed tip. Legs are slaty-blue with yellow or white webs. Immatures are similar to adults but have body and wings fringed with brown, and the base of the bill is black.
Distribution & Habitat
Two recognized subspecies: Gygis candida candida occurs in the Indian Ocean (Seychelles, Mascarene Islands, Chagos Archipelago, Maldives) and tropical Pacific Ocean (Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, Kermadec Islands, Hawaii, Clipperton Island, Cocos Island, Malpelo Island). Gygis candida leucopes occurs on Henderson Island and Pitcairn Island.
Culture
Known as manu-o-kū in Hawaiian and kakaia in the Cook Islands.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Laridae
- Genus
- Gygis
Subspecies (2)
-
Gygis candida candida
Seychelles and Mascarene islands, Chagos and Maldives (Indian Ocean), and islands of southern Pacific from islands off New Guinea, Lord Howe, Norfolk, and Kermadec to Hawaii, Clipperton, Cocos, and Malpelo islands
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.
