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Alternative name: Swift Tern

Photo by Karim Madoya in Lokawi

Thalasseus bergii

Sterna bergii

[edit] Identification

A large (43-48cm.) tern with a black cap that crests behind the head, bright white underparts, and gray back and wings. The bill is long, yellow, and slightly downcurved. Wings are long, extending behind the tail when not in flight. Legs black.

[edit] Distribution

Coasts of Africa, southern Asia and Australasia.

[edit] Taxonomy

Some authorities place this species in the genus Sterna.

Sterna bergii has six subspecies:^[1]

• S. b. bergii

• Namibia and South Africa; disperses to Mozambique

• S. b. enigmus

• Islands off Mozambique, Zambezi River delta and Madagascar

• S. b. thalassinus

• Tanzania, Seychelles, Aldabra and Rodriques Island.

• S. b. velox

• Red Sea and north-western Somalia to Maldives, Myanmar and Sri Lanka

• S. b. cristatus

• Malaysia to Philippines and Ryukyus; eastern Australia to Society Islands.

• S. b. gwendolenae

• Western and north-western Australia

[edit] Behaviour

Forages by plunging from several meters above the surface to take fish. Noisy, often in flocks. A common tern in its range.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Gill, F, M Wright and D Donsker. 2009. IOC World Bird Names (version 2.0). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.

[edit] External Links