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The offering of fish by the male to the female is part of the courtship display.
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 Sonothèque ADVL
Range map
Range map
253visible hotspots
1412visible 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
Graceful pale tern with extremely long forked tail. Named for faint rosy wash on belly. Bill color varies geographically; Old World birds arrive on breeding grounds with a black bill that turns to red, while New World birds arrive with a red bill that turns darker. Similar to Common Tern, but notably whiter wings. With practice, look for shallow, choppier wingbeats to distinguish from other tern species.
Behavior
Widespread across the globe but local, breeding in scattered colonies, often on offshore islands. Can be found mixed in flocks with other terns on beaches, mudflats, or estuaries.
Gallery