Caspian or Royal Tern? Jacksonville, Fl (1 Viewer)

[Newton-W]

Caspian or Royal Tern? Jacksonville, Fl. EDITED to Add More Photos

This was taken in May, 2019 in Jacksonville, Fl. USA. I'm starting to wonder if I have it misidentified. Is it a Caspian or Royal Tern. It was photographed over a fresh water lake, if that makes any difference.
Thanks in advance.

Newton

Please note that I have added photos to show some underwing shots, and different views. Although the lighting changes through this series, they are the same bird and all taken within minutes/seconds of each other as it flew around a small lake.
Thanks to all who commented.

 

[rkj]

With a bill that big, Caspian.

 

[rollingthunder]

Yes - you could drill for Oil in nearby Texas with that one:eek!:

Laurie -

 

[Larry Sweetland]

I keep looking at this pic and thinking Royal. I could be wrong, but May might be the short window when they have a full black cap and a deeper orange bill, and the bill looks a bit slender for Caspian to me. Happy to be wrong, but I'd welcome further opinion.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

I keep looking at this pic and thinking Royal. I could be wrong, but May might be the short window when they have a full black cap and a deeper orange bill, and the bill looks a bit slender for Caspian to me. Happy to be wrong, but I'd welcome further opinion. Pics of the underwing would help too.

 

[Andy Adcock]

I keep looking at this pic and thinking Royal. I could be wrong, but May might be the short window when they have a full black cap and a deeper orange bill, and the bill looks a bit slender for Caspian to me. Happy to be wrong, but I'd welcome further opinion. Pics of the underwing would help too.

Ditto, my instant reaction was Royal.

 

[lou salomon]

you're not wrong, larry, it is an adult royal tern. caspian has a deeper red bill with a black tip.

 

[rkj]

Do Florida Royal Terns have much longer bills than those in California? This looks well outside the range I am used to seeing on the west coast.

 

[rollingthunder]

I would not like to put a colour on that bill considering the lighting in which the image was taken...

Laurie:t:

 

[Andy Adcock]

Additional photos confirm.

 

[rollingthunder]

Agreed it looks ‘Orangey’ - i saw thousands of Caspians (in addition to a few West African Royals) down at Dhakla and there was quite a range of subtle tones in the winter-plumaged Caspo’s bills...

Laurie:t:

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Agreed it looks ‘Orangey’ - i saw thousands of Caspians (in addition to a few West African Royals) down at Dhakla and there was quite a range of subtle tones in the winter-plumaged Caspo’s bills...

Laurie:t:

But regardless of colour, the OP bird has a Royal Tern shaped bill

 

[Nutcracker]

Ditto to Royal with the new pics - shows nicely the value of posting a series of pics rather than just one :t:

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Ditto to Royal with the new pics - shows nicely the value of posting a series of pics rather than just one :t:

Ah, missed the new pics! Yes, nice shot of the underwing pattern :t:

 

[Newton-W]

Ditto to Royal with the new pics - shows nicely the value of posting a series of pics rather than just one :t:

Nutcracker, you are correct (as usual), I should have posted the series. Admittedly, the original shot was "artistic" and I was called out on that shot by someone on a local Florida bird forum. I had posted a series of BIF, single shots of each, so one look was all I presented. Many thanks to you. :clap:

 

[Microtus]

Royal Tern.

 

[Newton-W]

Thanks to everyone who participated in my posting. I could have made it a lot easier if I had posted more images. But, it was late, blah blah blah, etc., and oh ya, the dog ate my homework.

I love this Forum!

 

[Newton-W]

Do Florida Royal Terns have much longer bills than those in California? This looks well outside the range I am used to seeing on the west coast.

I'm not sure, rkj. I've attached a shot that was taken 4 months before the OP shots, but on the beach, some 20 miles east. Lots of terns that day and it was tough for me, being a non-birder, to sort them out, LOL.

I hope this helps,

Newton

 

[Simon Wates]

The first photo that was put up wasn't half as clearly a Royal then the photos.

 

[rollingthunder]

Yes Simon - i do now think it a Royal, i have very limited experience and even then not Yank ones, i merely pointed out issues with bill colouration and size of the driller initially:t:

Laurie -