Roseate Tern Immature ? (1 Viewer)

[nirofo]

Photographed this bird among a small colony of Arctic Terns on a small coastal pool in north Scotland, it seems to have several characteristics of Roseate Tern but not being familiar with this species I would like further opinions please.

nirofo.

 

[phil baber]

This IMHO is a 1st Summer Arctic Tern.

 

[snowcap]

Agree on Arctic Tern.

 

[HH75]

Hi all,
Given the paper in British Birds some time ago about the appearance of subadult (2nd calendar year and older) Common Terns of known age, I would be slow to age this as a certain 1st summer...some 2nd summer birds could, perhaps, be this immature in appearance, as in Common Tern? Nevertheless, I agree that it is an Arctic Tern: the bill looks too short for Roseate, the general structure (and I appreciate that this is a little subjective, perhaps, and difficult to put into words) is evocative of Arctic, the outer web of the outer tail feather seems as though it may be dark (white on Roseate), I'd expect any Roseate to have a few darker outer primaries, and so on.
Regards,
Harry

 

[Adam W]

I'd agree 'jizz' suggests Artic more than Roseate.

 

[nirofo]

Thank's guys.

I thought it probably was, the thing that was throwing me at the time was it's Sandwich Tern like flight, not at all like the local Arctic Terns in the colony. Not being familiar with Roseate or immature Arctics in our area I thought a second opinion was needed.

nirofo.

 

[njlarsen]

Roseate, at least older birds here in the Caribbean have a flight more reminding of little tern than anything else (and I believe that is true for European birds as well).

Niels