Eastern Common Tern
Common Terns are usually distinguished by their pillarbox red bill with a black tip. However the longipennis race has an all dark bill that is a touch shorter too, darker legs, darker grey upperparts, and longer wings. In fact, so many differences it looks like a different species. Longipennis occurs from central Siberia eastwards including China and the Aleutians. I photographed this individual on the Zhupanova River estuary in Kamchatka.
Eastern Common Tern
Common Terns are usually distinguished by their pillarbox red bill with a black tip. However the longipennis race has an all dark bill that is a touch shorter too, darker legs, darker grey upperparts, and longer wings. In fact, so many differences it looks like a different species. Longipennis occurs from central Siberia eastwards including China and the Aleutians. I photographed this individual on the Zhupanova River estuary in Kamchatka.