Common Tern
Common Tern: Medium tern, medium gray upperparts, pale gray underparts, glossy black cap and nape. Wings are dark-tipped and have dark leading edge on forewing. Red bill is black-tipped. Legs are red and tail is deeply forked and elongated. Direct flight, hovers above water before diving for prey.
● Song:
"kee-urr" removed period
● Foraging & Feeding:
Common Tern: Feeds primarily on small fish up to four inches in length; also takes shrimp and aquatic insects; forages by striking the water in shallow plunge dives or skimming the surface.
● Breeding & nesting:
Common Tern: One to three buff to brown eggs spotted with dark brown and black are laid in a simple scrape built above the high tide line in sand, gravel, shells, or seaweed, and lined with vegetation. Incubation ranges from 21 to 27 days and is carried out by both parents.
● Similar species:
Common Tern: Roseate and Forster’s terns lack dark leading edge on forewings. Arctic Tern is smaller, shorter-legged, longer-winged, and has solid red (adult) or black (juvenile) bill.