Forster's Tern

I still say Royal. BirdOpus lists yellow to red orange bill in description: http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Royal_Tern...
Caspian has a change in bill color at the tip and different mottled back feathers: http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Caspian_Te...
Choice is up to James since we are using photos and he saw the real bird :)

So have we decided the big one is a Royal or a Caspian? Everyone is saying Royal but the page links to a Caspian.

I agree, I have learned so much from Noah and also love seeing everything from around the globe. Because of Noah, I have learned more about things I was never interested in before, just because I started taking pictures of them and have gotten help IDing them. Amazing what all you can find in even your own backyard if you just look!

Thanks Ashley, I love the education component of the site and having you awesome Rangers around. I love taking the images, but the background info really adds a dimension, and seeing the incredible shots from around the globe makes me ache to travel more....

I usually see several species of terns together, so I would say this is pretty common.

Forster's tern and big one is Royal. Yep, i agree

I greatly appreciate all the input. Are the terns normally sociable with one another? The larger one was clearly acting as one of the flock, when the smaller all flew off, he hesitated for a second then flew off with them.

I dont think this is Caspian.The bill head and body jizz are wrong.It must be one of the American large terns.

Plus I don't assume anything where I live. We have strange birds like the Northern Gannet, Bobolink, Painted Redstart, Lark Bunting, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and others that should not be here but they are.

With me it was some have black wingtips. This looks more grey but like Ashley said they vary

Guess I am behind on my messages.

The bill color is what was throwing me off for Royal, they have pale orange whereas Caspian have darker orange/red. Colors could just be off though. I've seen both have fairly variable foreheads in terms of whiteness though

They have had them in 1999 and some reports of possible hybridized with Sandwich Terns

According to Wiki it's on their list

Spotting is in Florida. I do not believe that is in the range of an Elegant, more of a west coast bird.

Glad I'm not the only one having problems with the big one haha

Smaller ones look like Forester's Tern

Big one looks like a juvenile Elegant Tern. Their bills are shorter then the adult.

Ashley is correct the little ones are Forster's Terns. I believe the larger one is a Royal Tern. Non breeding have the white forhead, where as the Caspian has black all the way to the bill. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Royal...

Little ones are Forster's Terns, big ones I believe are Caspian's

No, the size and the color of the bill shows the difference. If I can't find the correct species someone will soon