are these the same birds?

[Sylvia Ramos]

Hi! Are the birds in these 2 pictures the same kind of bird?
Both pictures were taken in Manila Yacht Club, on April 2008.
I think they're gull billed terns?


1/250, 5

1/320, 5.6

taken with Panasonic DMC-FZ18

[Romy Ocon]

Hi Sylvia, excellent first photo post!

These look like Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus) molting into breeding plumage.


Here's one in similar transition colors:





And one in non-breeding plumage:




Romy

[Sylvia Ramos]

Thanks Romy! That's right -- I was debating between whiskered and gull billed! But, the whiskered is the more common one.

[Romy Ocon]

Gull-billed Tern has a noticeably thicker bill.