The lesser crested tern (Thalasseus bengalensis) is a medium-sized bird belonging to the family Laridae.
These lesser crested tern species are closely related to Thalasseus maximus, Thalasseus elegans, Sandwich tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) and Thalasseus bernsteini (Chinese crested tern).
Being closely related as well as looking similar has lead to difficulty in differentiating these birds by the amateur birders.
The species Thalasseus maximus, Thalasseus bengalensis and Thalasseus elegans are also known as orange-billed terns.
The Thalasseus bengalensis species is close to extinction and its presence is restricted to China and Taiwan.
The Thalasseus maximus is a larger bird, with one subspecies T. m. maximus restricted to coastal Americas and another subspecies T. m. albididorsalis occurring in northwest Africa.
The T. m. albididorsalis distribution overlaps that of the Thalasseus bengalensis. However, Thalasseus maximus is a very large bird when compared to T. bengalensis and has thicker bill.
The Thalasseus elegans is marginally paler than T. bengalensis and has white rump whereas the later has gray rump. Further T. elegans species have longer, slender bill with a different curvature.
The Thalasseus sandvicensis has similar gray plumage as T. bengalensis, but the bill is black with yellow tip.
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| 1.Lesser crested tern (Thalasseus bengalensis) in flight by shrikant rao |
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| 2.Photo by shrikant rao |
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| 3.Photo by shrikant rao |
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| 4.Photo by Mike's Birds |
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| 5.Lesser crested tern (Thalasseus bengalensis) on the right Photo by shrikant rao |
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| 6. Photo by Madhukar Bangalore |
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| 7.Photo by Mohammad N. Al-Saleh |
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| 8.Photo by Mike Prince |
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| 9. Photo by Dhaval Vargiya |
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| 10.Lesser crested tern (Thalasseus bengalensis) in flight Photo by shrikant rao |
1.Photo source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9494793@N06/25492997716/in/photostream/ (cropped)
Author: shrikant rao | License: CC BY 2.0 as on 3/28/17
2.Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9494793@N06/24356461733/in/photostream/ (cropped)
Author: shrikant rao | License: CC BY 2.0 as on 3/28/17
3.Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9494793@N06/25151582519/in/photostream/ (cropped)
Author: shrikant rao | License: CC BY 2.0 as on 3/28/17
4.Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pazzani/32118627211/in/photostream/ (cropped)
Author: Mike's Birds | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 as on 3/28/17
5.Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9494793@N06/25519124775/in/photostream/ (cropped)
Author: shrikant rao | License: CC BY 2.0 as on 3/28/17
6.Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gpitta/2241497231/
Author: Madhukar Bangalore | License: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 as on 3/28/17
7.Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mohammadnal_saleh/2669027063/
Author: Mohammad N. Al-Saleh | License: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 as on 3/28/17
8.Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeprince/5041614090/ (cropped)
Author: Mike Prince | License: CC BY 2.0 as on 3/28/17
9.Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lesser_Crested_Tern_at_Kutch.jpg (cropped)
Author: Dhaval Vargiya | License: CC BY-SA 4.0
10.Photo source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9494793@N06/24890098351/in/photostream/ (cropped)
Author: shrikant rao | License: CC BY 2.0 as on 3/28/17
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