- Thalasseus maximus
Sterna maxima
Identification
46-53cm
- Long orange bill (variable between yellowish-orange to reddish-orange)
- Pale grey upperparts
- White underparts
- Black legs
- Noticeable black crest; full black crown only in spring at the start of the breeding season
- From summer to winter, the black crown recedes to leave a white forecrown
Similar Species
Caspian Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Elegant Tern
Distribution
North America, Central America, South America, western Europe and Africa.
Taxonomy
Some authorities place the Royal Tern in the genus Sterna.
Subspecies[1]
- T. m. albididorsalis:
- Coastal Mauritania to Guinea; winters to Namibia
- T. m. maximus:
- Coastal USA to West Indies, Guianas, Brazil; winters to Argentina
Habitat
Coasts and islands.
Behaviour
Breeding
It nests in a ground scrape and lays 1-2 eggs.
Diet
It feeds by plunge-diving for fish.
Vocalisation
Call: krryuk or kree-it
Reference
- 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.
- Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
- Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0 00 219728 6
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Royal Tern. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 7 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Royal_Tern
External Links
