Sandwich Tern or Cabot Tern, St Lucia (1 Viewer)

myoudale

Well-known member

• Oct 24, 2013

• #1

Wondering if anyone would be able to say whether this was a Sandwich Tern (which I had initially ID it as) or a Cabot's Tern which someone else thinks it is.
These are two different bird (image 2&3 are same bird)

Thanks

Mike

 

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njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Oct 24, 2013

• #2

Cabot tern is the name used for the form of Sandwich tern breeding in the Americas. These are very difficult to separate in the field, and not everybody recognize them as different species: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/news/sate_ma/

Niels

 

provo

Spoonbill

• Oct 24, 2013

• #3

The cabot's tern is smaller in size, breeds of the the Atlantic coast,
and for winter they head to warmer waters. Ie: Caribbean, South America.

I would say #1 is a cabot and #2 #3 is sandwich
if you look at #1 it does appear smaller.

But I am far from an expert on this. Just giving my opinion.

*btw if you overlay image #2 over image #1 just line up the bill and eyes
and it does appear that #1 is a smaller bird.

 

Last edited: Oct 24, 2013

Larry Sweetland

Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'

• Oct 24, 2013

• #4

I don't think Sandwich Tern is recorded in the Caribbean yet(?), but there is a recently discussed report from the NE USA here http://btoringing.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/sandwich-tern-potential-us-first-from.html

I'm pretty sure the default species by an enormous margin is the extremely similar Cabot's Tern.

 

Last edited: Oct 24, 2013

myoudale

Well-known member

• Oct 24, 2013

• #5

Thanks for your responses everyone. I knew it would be a tricky one as the ID features seem very difficult and complicated.
I will put it down at Cabot's then based on Sandwich Tern not being seen in the Caribbean.

Mike

 

myoudale

Well-known member

• Oct 24, 2013

• #6

provo said:

The cabot's tern is smaller in size, breeds of the the Atlantic coast,
and for winter they head to warmer waters. Ie: Caribbean, South America.

I would say #1 is a cabot and #2 #3 is sandwich
if you look at #1 it does appear smaller.

But I am far from an expert on this. Just giving my opinion.

*btw if you overlay image #2 over image #1 just line up the bill and eyes
and it does appear that #1 is a smaller bird.

Click to expand...

Thanks for this response. I did think picture one was a little smaller, but I didnt really if its true about the black being solid on the back of the head like on picture one.