western US Tern Id (1 Viewer)

Bubo

Registered Birder

• May 21, 2004

• #1

attempted to ID this tern (i am not sure they are all the same bird, taken at different intervals, same day/location, but i think they're all the same species - but which is my issue).

i'm leaning towards elegant tern, only other possibility would be caspian which from research would have a darker more reddish bill, thicker too.

theoretically the choices for terns for this location and time of year are;
caspian, elegant, royal and common.

any way to know what species this would be, and pointers on how to tell the difference between these 4?

thank you.

 

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Jane Turner

Well-known member

• May 21, 2004

• #2

Looks like Elegant or Royal to me.. can't be Casp with that wing tip pattern and it has the build and bill shape of Elegant....

You can even see the rump which conveniently rules out the somewhat unlikely Lesser Crested Tern

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• May 21, 2004

• #3

I'd say Elegant - the bill looks too long and slender for Royal.

Michael

 

B

Bluetail

Senior Moment

• May 21, 2004

• #4

As far as the first pic is concerned, surely only Elegant has a bill that long?

 

Bubo

Registered Birder

• May 21, 2004

• #5

THANKS
appreciate the input. next time i'm there i'll try and get a pic of a least tern or at least get some time in observing all the terns. they move quite fast, a lot were carrying fish and diving for them. amazing birds. thanks again to all.

 

Charles Harper

Régisseur

• May 22, 2004

• #6

Elegant-- paler orange bill (or beak) tip, just the ends of the under primaries dark. Plus of course the long elegant down-curved beak (or bill).

 

H

HH75

Well-known member

• May 23, 2004

• #7

Hi 'Bubo',
Nice pics of a classic Elegant Tern there,bill structure and length alone would rule out a Royal.
Harry