/
Dark-bodied tern of tropical offshore waters, rarely seen from mainland.
Not listed
Indigenous: Common Noddy
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 Dries Van de Loock
Range map
Range map
666visible hotspots
6610visible 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
Breeds in colonies on rocky and sandy offshore islets. Adult solidly dark brown with white cap. White limited to the forehead on immature.
Behavior
Sometimes found with offshore feeding flocks of boobies and other terns. Feeds by picking from the surface, not plunge-diving like most terns.
Gallery