Status and distribution of the suborder Lari in Paraguay, including new country records

Abstract

The Lari of Paraguay are poorly known and only three species in two families occur regularly (Large-billed Tern Phaetusa simplex, Yellow-billed Tern Sternula superciliaris and Black Skimmer Rynchops niger). However, recent field studies have revealed that diversity is much greater than previously thought, and several new species have been added to the country list in recent years. With many of these species being of only transient presence, the distribution and status of Paraguayan species is reviewed here including first reports of four species (Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla, Franklin’s Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan, Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica, and Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida) and one subspecies (Black Skimmer Rynchops niger cinerascens). The first South American record of the Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida is remarkable coming from a country in the center of the continent. Reports of three other species (Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus, Snowy-crowned Tern Sterna trudeaui and Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus) are discussed and treated as hypothetical. Basic breeding data is provided for three species (Large-billed Tern, Yellow-billed Tern and Black Skimmer), showing that clutch sizes fall within clutch size ranges of other studies.