birdandhike.com
Home | Wildlife | Birds | Shorebirds and Seabirds Family
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Birds Around Las Vegas, Wildlife Around Las Vegas
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Forster's Tern winter plumage

General Description: Forster's Terns (Sterna forsteri) are small, light colored terns with forked tails and an orange bill with a black tip. The forked tail has white outer edges.

As with most other terns, this species has differing winter and summer plumage. In breeding plumage, Forster's Terns have a black cap that extends from the top of the bill to the back of the head. During winter, they lose most of the black cap and have only a large black ear patch.

Taxonomy: Charadriiformes, Laridae, Sterninae.

Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Forster's Tern, summer adult

Favored Habitat: Inland marshes in the northern US and Canada during summer; coastal US and Mexico during winter.

Where to Find: Around Las Vegas, look for Forster's Terns during migration around marshes and bodies of water such as Lake Mead, the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, and the Pahranagat Valley.

Comments:

Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) If you were a tasty little fish, this might be the last face you ever see!
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Forster's Tern summer adult plumage
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Forster's Tern summer adult plumage
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Forster's Tern summer adult plumage
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Forster's Tern summer adult plumage hovering over a pond
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Forster's Tern winter plumage
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Forster's Tern winter plumage
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Forster's Tern, winter adult
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Forster's Tern winter plumage
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Forster's Tern taking a vigorous bath; Dunedin, Florida
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Forster's Tern taking a vigorous bath; Dunedin, Florida
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Parrotee Pond, Jamaica
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Forster's Tern dove into a pond for a fish, but it missed
Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
copyright; Last updated 240113
Terns Birds Around Las Vegas Wildlife Around Las Vegas Glossary Copyright, Conditions, Disclaimer Home
Google Ads