A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Thalasseus sandvicensis
This is a medium sized tern. The Sandwich Terns pictured in the series are breeding terns. They have a black cap, a long thin black bill with a yellow tip, and black legs. It has gray and white plumage. It has a wingspan of about 35 inches.
Habitat: This terns habitat includes coastlines, jetties, beaches, bays, estuaries, and mudflats. Range: Coastlines of the Gulf of Mexico, eastern United States, Central America, and the Caribbean. Nesting: The nest is a shallow scrape built by both the male and female. Lays 1-2 eggs. Nests in colonies often with Royal Terns. Diet: The main diet of the Sandwich Tern is fish, but will also eat insects, shrimp, squid, and worms. Ref: https://birdsna.org/Species-Account/bna/...
I spotted these terns in and around Royal Terns and Laughing Gulls. FUN FACTS: 1. The Sandwich Tern is named after the town in which it was discovered (Sandwich in County Kent, England). 2. Male Sandwich Terns offer females caught prey as part of their courtship. Ref: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird...
No Comments