Page 220 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

SKUAS, GULLS,AND TERNS
Order Charadriiformes Family Sternidae Species Sterna sandvicensis
Sandwich Tern ADULT
(WINTER)
dark streaks
on outer
indistinct wings
barring white forehead long, slim black
above after July bill with pale
dark yellowish tip
corners
to tail
black cap, spiky
at rear
JUVENILE
very pale silver-
grey back
ADULT (WINTER)

ADULT white
(SUMMER) underside
short white
tail with
shallow fork
very pale
silver-grey wings
black legs
IN FLIGHT
ADULT
large, active, noisy bird, the Sandwich Tern has a spiky (SUMMER)
Acrest, a long, sharp bill, and long, angular wings which are often
held away from the body and slightly drooped. It seems almost to
swagger, much more so than the smaller Common and Arctic Terns. FLIGHT: strong, direct; wings long and angular, tail
It is equally distinctive in flight, looking very white, which helps to short; regular shallow wingbeats.
emphasize its size.The Sandwich Tern BUSY COLONY
plunges for fish from a good height, Sandwich Tern colonies on sand
with a loud “smack” as it enters the dunes are large, containing
water. It is easily disturbed at the nesting hundreds of nests.
colony and prone to desert, even after
several good breeding seasons.
VOICE Loud, harsh, rhythmic kerr-ink
or kear-ik!
NESTING Shallow scoop in sand or
shingle; 1 or 2 eggs; 1 brood; May–June.
FEEDING Catches fish, especially
sandeels, in dive from air.
SIMILAR SPECIES
OCCURRENCE
smaller and rounder cap thicker, shorter, Widespread but local breeding
greyer all-black bill
bird north to Baltic. Prefers sandy
bulkier coasts, shallow coastal lagoons,
and offshore islands. Rare migrant
short red inland but quite widely seen on all
legs white kinds of coasts.
forewing wedge
COMMON TERN GULL-BILLED TERN BLACK-HEADED GULL Seen in the UK
see p.220 see p.219 see p.206 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 36–41cm (14–16in) Wingspan 95–105cm (37–43in) Weight 210–260g (7–9oz)
Social Flocks Lifespan Up to 10 years Status Declining
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