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A medium-sized black tern with a tail that appears square or slightly forked.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyGulls, Terns, and Skimmers
SizeMedium
RarityCommon
HabitatCoastlines, harbours, offshore waters, estuaries, headlands, beaches, and large inland water when conditions suit.
Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from October to December.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Sreekar
Range map
Range map
444visible hotspots
5021visible records
4states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Smaller and darker than Brown Noddy with a shorter tail, thinner bill, and more contrasting white cap. Uniformly black back, wings and tail, and dark legs, except on the main Hawaiian islands where tail and rump are grayish and feet and legs are bright orange. More often seen in groups than Brown Noddy. Often seen from shore.
Behavior
Nests on coastal cliffs, in sea caves, and in trees.
Gallery