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Caspian Tern![]() Size: 48-60 cm; wing span: 1.25-1.45 m Weight: 530-780 g |
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Photos |
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
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BREEDING |
Frontal view of a Caspian Tern in breeding
plumage (3rd from right),
two more Caspian Terns in non-breeding
plumage on the left and
three non-breeding/transitional
Greater Crested Terns
for comparison
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Near-frontal view of a Caspian Tern in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cooroy, QLD, December 2017]
Lateral view of a Caspian Tern in breeding
plumage, centre,
with another starting to moult into eclipse
plumage behind and a
Gull-billed Tern
in non-breeding plumage
in front (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Toorbul Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, September 2017]
Close-up near-lateral view of a Caspian Tern in near-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Toorbul Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, September 2017]
Caspian Terns resting together with a flock of Silver Gulls; the bird at the
centre back is in breeding plumage, the three on the right in
non-breeding plumage;
note that Caspian Terns are taller than Silver Gulls
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]
Two Caspian Terns in breeding
plumage
resting in shallow water
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2017]
Lateral view of Caspian Terns; one in breeding
plumage, back,
one in eclipse plumage,
centre, and another in transitional
plumage in front
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Toorbul Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, September 2017]
Frontal view of a Caspian Tern in breeding
plumage in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2015]
Close-up view from underneath of a Caspian Tern in breeding
plumage
in flight; the bird has just flown a tight bend, using its
fanned tail for extra lift
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]
Lateral view of a Caspian Tern in breeding plumage in flight displaying
its upperwing pattern
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, April 2012]
Lateral view of a Caspian Tern in breeding plumage in flight displaying
its underwing pattern
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, April 2012]
Close-up dorsal view of a Caspian Tern in breeding
plumage
in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, January 2022]
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NON-BREEDING |
Near-frontal view of a Caspian Tern in transitional
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Near-lateral view of a Caspian Tern in transitional
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Near-lateral view of a Caspian Tern in transitional
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Near-frontal and lateral view of Caspian Terns in transitional
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Near-dorsal view of a Caspian Tern in transitional
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Lateral view of a Caspian Tern in transitional
plumage in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, April 2012]
Near-dorsal view of a Caspian Tern in transitional
plumage in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, April 2012]
Frontal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding
plumage;
Greater Crested Tern
on the left for comparison
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Frontal view of two Caspian Terns in non-breeding
plumage;
Greater Crested Tern
on the right for comparison
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Near-frontal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Near-frontal view of Caspian Terns in different
plumages:
breeding (far right), non-breeding (centre) and transitional
at front left
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Caspian Terns in different
plumages:
non-breeding (second from right) and transitional
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]
Near-lateral view of two Caspian Tern in non-breeding
plumage, with a
Silver Gull
and many young
Whiskered Terns
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, February 2022]
Lateral view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Caloundra Headland, QLD, January 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gatton, QLD, August 2017]
Near-dorsal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port of Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, March 2019]
Frontal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding
plumage in flight
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
Near-frontal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding
plumage in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, April 2022]
Near-lateral view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding
plumage in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]
Lateral/ventral view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding
plumage in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]
This near-dorsal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding
plumage
in flight shows clearly both the upperwing pattern
(near-side wing) and underwing pattern (far-side wing)
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]
Caspian Tern in non-breeding
plumage
taking off again after an unsuccessful dive
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]
Caspian Tern in non-breeding
plumage in comparison with a
Red-necked Avocet
(bottom left)
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, February 2012]
Here a Caspian Tern's way of waste management...
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
(Possibly immature) Caspian Tern in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, April 2012]
(Possibly immature) Caspian Tern in flight; note the short
primary flight feathers
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, April 2012]
Photos of Caspian Terns were also taken by us in Europe.
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: ? | Mobility: Dispersive | Elementary unit: Solitary |
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Food, Diet |
Like all terns, Caspian Terns feed on fish, which they catch with their bills just under the water surface in a steep high-speed dive from considerable height.
Caspian Tern trying to swallow a big fish; its is almost in,
but not quite yet... (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port of Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, March 2019]
Caspian Tern now turning the fish
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port of Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, March 2019]
Caspian Tern uith a thish thtill thtuck in itth will...
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port of Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, March 2019]
Lateral view of a Caspian Tern taking off with its catch; see
the page on White-necked
Herons for an example of how they are hustled by Caspain Terns
- an indication that the two species compete for food (photo courtesy
of C. Hayne)
Caspian Tern attempting to grab something in shallow water
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]
Caspian Tern taking off after an unsuccessful attempt
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]
Dorsal view of a Caspian Tern taking off with its catch
This Caspian Tern was observed by us cleaning its bill (it had nothing
in its bill that it might otherwise have been rinsing)
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]