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10

Fairy Tern

(Sternula nereis)
Size: 21-25 cm; wing span ca. 50 cm
Weight: 58-81 g (race "nereis")

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Fairy Tern at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "nereis"

ADULT

Sex unknown

BREEDING

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]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

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.

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