Sandwich Tern

Overview

The Sandwich tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) is a medium-large seabird in the family Laridae, closely related to several other crested terns. It is a long-distance migrant that breeds in the Palearctic and winters in regions such as the Mediterranean, Africa, and the Indian Subcontinent.

Identification

• Medium-large tern, 36–41 cm long, with pale silvery-grey upperparts and white underparts.
• Distinctive yellow-tipped black bill and short black legs.
• Features a shaggy black crest that becomes less extensive in winter, revealing a white crown.
• Produces a loud, characteristic grating call described as 'kear-ik' or 'kerr ink'.

Habitat

Breeds in very dense colonies on coasts and islands, and occasionally on large freshwater lakes near the coast. The species has an extensive global range, breeding from Europe to the Caspian Sea and wintering in the Mediterranean, along the coasts of Africa, and in India and Sri Lanka.

Diet

Feeds exclusively on fish, foraging by plunge-diving almost invariably from the sea. It typically dives directly rather than using the stepped-hover technique. Courtship involves the male offering fish to the female.

Did you know?

The common English name references Sandwich, Kent, which was the type locality for its original description by John Latham in 1787. The genus name Thalasseus is derived from the Greek word for 'sea'.