Has black cap and long pointed black bill which are separated by a white band.
At a glance
Sounds
Range map
Range map
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
Tail is long and quite forked. Cap in non-breeding birds is reduced above the eye, creating a white forehead. Juveniles are similar to adults in non-breeding plumage but have light brown mottling over their back. Immature birds can disperse in winter to southeastern Australia. Arctic Tern and Common Tern are similar, but rarely seen in New Zealand; White-fronted Tern is larger and has lighter plumage.
Behavior
Cap in non-breeding birds is reduced above the eye, creating a white forehead.
Gallery