Caspian or Royal Tern? Jacksonville, Fl (1 Viewer)

Newton-W

Well-known member

• Oct 22, 2019

• #1

Caspian or Royal Tern? Jacksonville, Fl. EDITED to Add More Photos

This was taken in May, 2019 in Jacksonville, Fl. USA. I'm starting to wonder if I have it misidentified. Is it a Caspian or Royal Tern. It was photographed over a fresh water lake, if that makes any difference.
Thanks in advance.

Newton

Please note that I have added photos to show some underwing shots, and different views. Although the lighting changes through this series, they are the same bird and all taken within minutes/seconds of each other as it flew around a small lake.
Thanks to all who commented.

 

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Last edited: Oct 22, 2019

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rkj

Well-known member

• Oct 22, 2019

• #2

With a bill that big, Caspian.

 

rollingthunder

Well-known member

• Oct 22, 2019

• #3

Yes - you could drill for Oil in nearby Texas with that one:eek!:

Laurie -

 

Larry Sweetland

Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'

• Oct 22, 2019

• #4

I keep looking at this pic and thinking Royal. I could be wrong, but May might be the short window when they have a full black cap and a deeper orange bill, and the bill looks a bit slender for Caspian to me. Happy to be wrong, but I'd welcome further opinion.

 

Larry Sweetland

Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'

• Oct 22, 2019

• #5

I keep looking at this pic and thinking Royal. I could be wrong, but May might be the short window when they have a full black cap and a deeper orange bill, and the bill looks a bit slender for Caspian to me. Happy to be wrong, but I'd welcome further opinion. Pics of the underwing would help too.

 

Andy Adcock

Worst person on Birdforum

• Oct 22, 2019

• #6

Larry Sweetland said:

I keep looking at this pic and thinking Royal. I could be wrong, but May might be the short window when they have a full black cap and a deeper orange bill, and the bill looks a bit slender for Caspian to me. Happy to be wrong, but I'd welcome further opinion. Pics of the underwing would help too.

Click to expand...

Ditto, my instant reaction was Royal.

 

lou salomon

the birdonist

• Oct 22, 2019

• #7

you're not wrong, larry, it is an adult royal tern. caspian has a deeper red bill with a black tip.

 

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rkj

Well-known member

• Oct 22, 2019

• #8

Do Florida Royal Terns have much longer bills than those in California? This looks well outside the range I am used to seeing on the west coast.

 

rollingthunder

Well-known member

• Oct 22, 2019

• #9

I would not like to put a colour on that bill considering the lighting in which the image was taken...

Laurie:t:

 

Andy Adcock

Worst person on Birdforum

• Oct 22, 2019

• #10

Additional photos confirm.

 

rollingthunder

Well-known member

• Oct 22, 2019

• #11

Agreed it looks ‘Orangey’ - i saw thousands of Caspians (in addition to a few West African Royals) down at Dhakla and there was quite a range of subtle tones in the winter-plumaged Caspo’s bills...

Laurie:t:

 

Larry Sweetland

Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'

• Oct 22, 2019

• #12

rollingthunder said:

Agreed it looks ‘Orangey’ - i saw thousands of Caspians (in addition to a few West African Royals) down at Dhakla and there was quite a range of subtle tones in the winter-plumaged Caspo’s bills...

Laurie:t:

Click to expand...

But regardless of colour, the OP bird has a Royal Tern shaped bill

 

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

• Oct 22, 2019

• #13

Ditto to Royal with the new pics - shows nicely the value of posting a series of pics rather than just one :t:

 

Larry Sweetland

Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'

• Oct 22, 2019

• #14

Nutcracker said:

Ditto to Royal with the new pics - shows nicely the value of posting a series of pics rather than just one :t:

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Ah, missed the new pics! Yes, nice shot of the underwing pattern :t:

 

Newton-W

Well-known member

• Oct 22, 2019

• #15

Nutcracker said:

Ditto to Royal with the new pics - shows nicely the value of posting a series of pics rather than just one :t:

Click to expand...

Nutcracker, you are correct (as usual), I should have posted the series. Admittedly, the original shot was "artistic" and I was called out on that shot by someone on a local Florida bird forum. I had posted a series of BIF, single shots of each, so one look was all I presented. Many thanks to you. :clap:

 

Microtus

Maryland USA (he/him)

• Oct 22, 2019

• #16

Royal Tern.

 

Newton-W

Well-known member

• Oct 22, 2019

• #17

Thanks to everyone who participated in my posting. I could have made it a lot easier if I had posted more images. But, it was late, blah blah blah, etc., and oh ya, the dog ate my homework.

I love this Forum!

 

Newton-W

Well-known member

• Oct 22, 2019

• #18

rkj said:

Do Florida Royal Terns have much longer bills than those in California? This looks well outside the range I am used to seeing on the west coast.

Click to expand...

I'm not sure, rkj. I've attached a shot that was taken 4 months before the OP shots, but on the beach, some 20 miles east. Lots of terns that day and it was tough for me, being a non-birder, to sort them out, LOL.

I hope this helps,

Newton

 

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Simon Wates

Well-known member

• Oct 22, 2019

• #19

The first photo that was put up wasn't half as clearly a Royal then the photos.

 

rollingthunder

Well-known member

• Oct 23, 2019

• #20

Yes Simon - i do now think it a Royal, i have very limited experience and even then not Yank ones, i merely pointed out issues with bill colouration and size of the driller initially:t:

Laurie -