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A large elegant tern with a very long lemon-yellow bill.
Not listed
Indigenous: Crested Tern
At a glance
FamilyGulls, Terns, and Skimmers
SizeMedium
RarityCommon
HabitatCoastlines, harbours, offshore waters, estuaries, headlands, beaches, and large inland water when conditions suit.
Best timeReported across most months in New South Wales, with no narrow seasonal peak.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by David Darrell-Lambert
Range map
Range map
3553visible hotspots
258546visible records
6states
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
Black cap does not extend down to the bill. Juvenile is scaly-looking with much more black on the back and wings. Similar Lesser Crested Tern is smaller with black cap extending down to the bill in breeding plumage.
Behavior
Occurs along coasts and estuaries; very rarely further inland or on freshwater ponds/lagoons.
Gallery