Chinese Crested Tern

Chinese Crested Tern is a tern in the family Laridae. It is the county bird of Lienchiang County, Fuchien. It is most closely related to greater crested tern T. bergii, and has hybridised with it. The species was formerly known as Sterna zimmermanni (or Thalasseus zimmermanni), until the rediscovery of the previously lost type specimen of Hermann Schlegel's Sterna bernsteini in 1975 showed that his older name applied to this species, and not to T. bergii as had been thought before. (Wikipedia, general species account).

From the lesser crested tern, which it overlaps in wintering distribution, it can be told by the white rump and paler grey mantle, as well as the black tip to the stouter bill, which seen from up close also has a white point. One was found along the shores of Lingayen Gulf in August 2021. One was at Bulacan in December 2023 along the sandbar that straddles the boundary between Santa Cruz, Paombong, and Pamarawan Island in Malolos northwest of New Manila International Airport. (Wikipedia, general species account).