White-winged Tern, 9/23/2012

We spotted this flock of White-winged Terns mixed with Black-Winged Stilts and Common Greenshanks, while we were scanning the wet farm fields of Zhu'an Village, Ilan County, Taiwan. Since it's the first time I ever see a White-winged Tern, I was kind of excited and couldn't wait to photograph them. It's winter now and the birds were all covered with winter plumage. I apologize if the pictures hurt your eye.

Chinese name:	白翅黑燕鷗
English name:	White-winged Black Tern, White-winged Tern
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Chlidonias leucopterus
Order:	CHARADRIIFORMES
Family:	LARIDAE
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	Least Concern
Migration status:	Most of them are passage migrants in Autumn and Spring, some Wintering individuals in Taiwan
Frequency of appearance:	Common in Taiwan
Foods:	fishes
Habitat:	Sea shores, fishponds or shrimpponds
Altitude:	Low altitude
Behavior:	Often appear in flocks in sea chores, outlets of rivers, fishponds, wet farm fields.
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 24 cm long. Summer plumage: Wing is mainly white. Wing lining is black. Bill and feet are red. Head, neck, breast and belly are black. Winter plumage: Wing is mainly white. Wing lining is white. Bill is black. Feet are grayish brown. Only head top, back neck and ear are black. Similar species:
Breeding places:	Breeding in southwest Russia and south Russia, northern Kazakhstan, some areas of eastern Europe, northeast China.
Migration destinations:	For those breeding in Russia and Kazakhstan, they winter in most area of Africa except part of area near Tropic of Cancer. For those breeding in China, they winter in the coastal area of Southeast Asia, the coastal area of southeast and south China, Taiwan, Indo-Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand, the coastal area of Sri Lanka and some part of India.
Time photographed:	9/23/2012
Location found:	Zhu'an Village, Ilan County, Taiwan
Sources:	Internet
Notes: