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Difference between revisions of "Caspian Tern" - BirdForum Opus

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==Identification==
 
==Identification==
 
48–56 cm.  White head, neck, belly, tail, black cap, pale grey back and upper wings, pale, dark tipped underwings, black legs, red-orange bill.
 
48–56 cm.  White head, neck, belly, tail, black cap, pale grey back and upper wings, pale, dark tipped underwings, black legs, red-orange bill.
 
 
Adult birds have black legs and a long thick  They have a white head with a black cap and white neck, belly and tail. The upper wings and back are pale grey; the underwings are pale with dark tips. In flight, the tail is less forked than other terns and wing tips black on the underside.
 
 
 
  
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==

Revision as of 14:47, 20 January 2009

Photo by avesdigital
Photo taken: Tarifa, Spain
Sterna caspia

Identification

48–56 cm. White head, neck, belly, tail, black cap, pale grey back and upper wings, pale, dark tipped underwings, black legs, red-orange bill.

Distribution

North America, West Indies and northern South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Taxonomy

Sometimes considered part of genus Hydroprogne (see Bridge et al, 2005).

Habitat

Llarge lakes and ocean coasts.

Behaviour

The diet includes fish, insects, eggs and young birds.

They are ground nesters; 1-3 pale blue green eggs heavily spotted brown are laid.

Vocalisation

The call is a loud croak.

<flashmp3>Sterna caspia (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

Wikipedia

External Links

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