Common name: Gull-billed Tern
Scientific name: Gelochelidon nilotica
Family: Laridae

Size:
Body length: 33–43 cm
Wingspan: 85–103 cm
Weight: 180–310 g

Identification:
A medium-sized tern with a robust build and a relatively short, thick black bill, giving it a gull-like appearance. It has pale grey upperparts and white underparts. In breeding plumage, it shows a full black cap, while in non-breeding plumage the cap is reduced with a white forehead. Legs are black. In flight, it appears broader-winged and less delicate than most terns.

Habitat:
Coastal lagoons, estuaries, mudflats, saltpans, and also inland wetlands such as lakes and flooded fields.

Status in the UAE:
Common passage migrant and winter visitor, with some breeding records in coastal areas.

Diet:
Carnivorous — unlike most terns, it often feeds away from water, taking insects, small reptiles, amphibians, and occasionally fish.

Behavior:
Often seen flying over land or shallow water, hunting by picking prey from the ground or surface rather than plunge-diving. Usually found in small groups or loose flocks. Flight is steady and purposeful.

Conservation status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)