Royal Tern

The Royal Tern, Thalasseus maximus, is a striking seabird, second in size only to the Caspian Tern. It boasts pale grey upperparts and pure white underparts, complemented by an orange-red bill and black legs. During the breeding season, it sports a distinctive black cap, which becomes patchy in winter. Both sexes share a similar wingspan, averaging 130 cm, and weigh between 350-450 grams.

Identification Tips

To identify the Royal Tern, look for its large size, pale grey upperparts, and white underparts. The orange-red bill is a key feature, along with the black cap during breeding season. Juveniles may have black splotches on their wings and a yellower bill. In flight, the Royal Tern's long, pointed wings and forked tail are characteristic.

Habitat

The Royal Tern favors coastal environments, often found in secluded estuaries, mangroves, and lagoons. It is also known to forage in open waters close to the shore.

Distribution

This tern is endemic to the Americas, with breeding populations along the coasts from Texas to Virginia, and scattered locations as far south as French Guiana and Argentina. During winter, they range from North Carolina to Panama, the Guianas, and throughout the Caribbean. The western population breeds from California to Mexico and winters down to Peru.

Behaviour

The Royal Tern is a solitary or small-group forager, diving from heights of about 30 feet to capture prey. It feeds on small fish, insects, shrimp, crabs, and occasionally hatchling sea turtles. It is known to travel long distances from its colony to forage.

Song & Calls

The vocalizations of the Royal Tern include short, clear shrills, often described as "kree" or "tsirr," and a longer, rolling, plover-like whistle.

Breeding

Breeding occurs on isolated beaches with limited predators, where the Royal Tern lays one or two eggs in a scrape. After hatching, chicks form crèches and are fed by their parents, who recognize them by voice and appearance. Fledging occurs at about one month old, and maturity is reached at four years.

Similar Species

The Royal Tern can be confused with the Elegant Tern, which has a longer, more curved bill and shows more white on the forehead in winter.

Diet and Feeding

The diet primarily consists of small fish like anchovies and weakfish. The Royal Tern also consumes insects, shrimp, crabs, and hatchling sea turtles. It employs shallow dives to catch small crabs and flying fish near the water's surface.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the Royal Tern as Least Concern, indicating a stable population.