/
A medium-sized, long-winged, long-tailed tern of warm tropical seas.
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 November.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Lim Ying Hien 林勇贤
Range map
Range map
394visible hotspots
4520visible records
3states
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
Adults appear snow-white except for a thin black nape stripe that extends from the eye (often not very visible from a distance), black outer edge to outermost primary, and thin, long black bill. Flies quickly and lightly, often associating with Bridled, Roseate, and Crested terns. Breeds colonially on rocky oceanic islands and headlands.
Behavior
Hovers frequently while foraging and dips down daintily to pick prey from just below the water's surface.
Gallery