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Revision as of 19:32, 24 July 2009
- Sterna caspia
Identification
48–56 cm. White head, neck, belly, tail, cap is black in breeding plumage, mottled with white in winter and in juvenile, 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.
There are records most years for the British Isles.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1] in spite of its cosmopolitan range (some authorities do recognize two subspecies: caspia and imperator).
Sometimes Caspian Tern is considered part of genus Hydroprogne; this is the case with those authorities recently updated, so it is likely that Opus in the future will have to change as well.
Habitat
Large lakes and ocean coasts. Breeds on sandy coasts and islands.
Mating Dance
Photo by Robert Davis
Bolivar Flats, May 2008
Juvenile
Photo by blubird
Las Gallinas, California, July 2008
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes fish, insects, eggs and young birds.
Breeding
They are ground nesters, colonially and singly; 1-3 pale blue green eggs, heavily spotted brown, are laid in a bare scrape.
Vocalisation
The call is a loud croak.
<flashmp3>Sterna caspia (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Wikipedia
- Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
- Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
External Links
