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Fairy Tern
(Sternula nereis)
Size: 21-25 cm; wing span ca. 50 cm
Weight: 58-81 g (race
"nereis")
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Fairy Terns are small terns. While in Australia, they are usually
found in their
breeding
plumage.
They have a white front, from frons and lores all the way down to
the undertail coverts, a white neck and a grey back (mantle, wings
and tail). They have black feathers around the eyes that connect
to the black cap. Also the nape of the neck is black.
Early in the
breeding
season, the front of the cap is mottled white and
grey, while the rest of the cap remains black. The yellow bill
has a black tip early in the season.
Later in the
breeding
season, the entire cap - including the front - is
solid black. Late in the season the bill is bright yellow and
has no black tip. The eyes have dark irises; the legs and feet
are yellow-orange.
Juvenile
Fairy Terns also have a white front, but their back is mottled
white and grey. The flight feathers are grey, with lighter-grey
edge lining. The cap is dark-grey, with mottled grey and white
at the front.
The bill is dark-grey and the legs and feet are dark greyish-yellow.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Fairy
Tern at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Fairy Tern is available
HERE
.
Fairy Terns populate the Southern Ocean around southern Australia,
including Tasmania, and New Zealand's North Island. There are also
reports of Fairy Terns from the Solomon Islands.
Around Australia, Tasmania and other, smaller
offshoreislands,
nominate race
"nereis"
is found. They populate the entire coastline from about the NSW/VIC
border in the East, around the South coast, to the North-west coast
of WA, where their exact distribution is uncertain.
Fairy Terns are found above
coastal waters,
on or near the coastline and some near-coastal
lakes.
They breed on sandy
beaches
and land spits.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "nereis"
Fairy Terns, race
"nereis",
including
juveniles,
were spotted by J. Greaves at Penguin Island, near
Rockingham, WA, in March 2016. More were seen at Alfred Cove,
Swan River, Perth, WA, in January 2017 and at Austin Bay, near
Mandurah, WA, in March 2017.
C. Pears also reports finding Fairy Terns, race
"nereis",
at Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, in October 2022.
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Photos |
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Race "nereis"
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ADULT |
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BREEDING |
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Frontal view of an adult Fairy Tern in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, March 2016]
Lateral portrait of an adult Fairy Tern in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, March 2016]
Lateral view of a Fairy Tern in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, March 2016]
Lateral view of a Fairy Tern in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, March 2016]
Lateral view of two Fairy Terns in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]
Near-dorsal view of a Fairy Tern in breeding
plumage
with its wings spread, giving a view of its upperwing pattern
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Alfred Cove, Swan River, Perth, WA, January 2017]
Dorsal view of a Fairy Tern in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, March 2016]
Direct comparison between Fairy Terns, in the foreground, and
Greater Crested Terns,
both in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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Lateral view of a (ring-marked) juvenile Fairy Tern
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, March 2016]
Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Fairy Tern
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, March 2016]
Juvenile Fairy Tern flying in to beg for food
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Alfred Cove, Swan River, Perth, WA, January 2017]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors.
The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.