Bridled Tern

Sterna anaethetus Order: CHARADRIIFORMES Family: Skuas, Gulls, Terns, Skimmers (Laridae)
Bridled Tern Portrait
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General

Bridled Tern: Medium-sized pelagic tern with long pointed wings and long, deeply forked tail. Black crown and and nape separated from gray-brown upperparts by whitish collar. Chevron-shaped white forehead patch that extends behind eye. Whitish underparts; underwings have brown trailing edge. Black bill and legs. Sexes similar.

Range and Habitat

Bridled Tern: Pelagic. Breeds April - August in Florida Keys. Found in Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico and along shoreward edge of Gulf Stream north to North Carolina, rarely as far as New Jersey.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"kowk-kowk", "kwawk Kwawk", "kahrrr" , "weeeep", "wep-wep-wep", "wup-wup"

Interesting Facts

 The Bridled Tern was long thought to be a casual visitor to the North American coast, but as more birders travel out to the Gulf Stream, it has become evident that they are fairly common 20 or 30 miles offshore.

 They may be establishing a breeding population in the Florida Keys.

 A group of terns are collectively known as a "ternery" or a "U" of terns.



Author

John Schwarz

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Range Map for Bridled Tern

Related Birds

Black Skimmer
White-winged Tern
Sooty Tern
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Family Tern (Laridae)_blue
Species Sterna anaethetus
Length12.5 - 15 Inches
Wingspan30 Inches

Bridled Tern

Bridled Tern: Medium pelagic tern. Black crown, nape separated from gray-brown upperparts by whitish collar. Chevron-shaped white forehead patch extends behind eye. Long pointed wings and deeply forked tail. Whitish underparts; underwings have brown trailing edge. Black bill, legs.

● Song: "kowk-kowk", "kwawk Kwawk", "kahrrr" , "weeeep", "wep-wep-wep", "wup-wup"

● Foraging & Feeding: Bridled Tern: Eats small fish, squid, crustaceans, and insects. Hovers over water, swoops down to pick food from surface. Does not plunge dive. Feeds day or night.

● Breeding & nesting: Bridled Tern: Monogamous; colonial. Common Caribbean species, nests off Florida Keys (Pelican Shoals). Single white to pale buff egg marked with brown, hidden on ground under matted plant material. Incubation ranges from 28 to 30 days and is carried out by both sexes. Young fed by both sexes, fledge at 55-63 days.

● Similar species: Bridled Tern: Sooty Tern is larger, heavier in build, shorter tail, will alight on sea surface. Sooty Tern's white forehead patch does not extend beyond eye.

Flight Pattern

Graceful, buoyant flight; swoops down to pick food from surface; does not plunge dive. Rests on driftwood, weedlines, and even on turtles.
Bridled Tern Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Bridled Tern: Pelagic. Breeds April - August in Florida Keys. Found in Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico and along shoreward edge of Gulf Stream north to North Carolina, rarely as far as New Jersey.
BreedingMonogamous, Colonial
PopulationFairly common in range
MigrationMigratory
Weight3.4 Ounces