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10

Gull-billed Tern

(Gelochelidon nilotica)
Alternate name(s): "Long-legged Tern"
German name(s): "Lachseeschwalbe"

Size: 33-42 cm; wing span 75-90 cm
Weight: 150-290 g

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 Gull-billed Tern at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "nilotica"

ADULT

Sex unknown

BREEDING

Near-frontal view of a Gull-billed Tern in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Gull-billed Tern in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a Gull-billed Tern in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

Lateral view of a Gull-billed Tern in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

Lateral view of a Gull-billed Tern in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

Lateral view of a Gull-billed Tern in breeding plumage in flight, wings up (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

Lateral/ventral view of a Gull-billed Tern in breeding plumage in flight issuing its call (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Gull-billed Tern in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

Gull-billed Terns in both breeding plumage (black caps) and non-breeding plumage (strong black bills, but white cap), on a roost together with other seabirds, primarily a flock of Black-headed Gulls (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

NON-BREEDING

Lateral view of a Gull-billed Tern in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a Gull-billed Tern in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Juveniles (the bird sitting highest and the one on the far right) as part of a small group of Gull-billed Terns
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Badajoz, Badajoz province, Spain, July 2018]

Race "affinis"

Gull-billed Terns, race "affinis", were photographed by us in Australia.

Race "macrotarsa"

Gull-billed Terns, race "macrotarsa", were photographed by us in Australia.

Food, Diet

Like all terns, Gull-billed Terns feed on fish and other aquatic animals, which they catch with their bills just under the surface of water in a steep high-speed dive from considerable height.

Gull-billed Tern in breeding plumage pouncing on its prey in a submerged rice paddy (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

Gull-billed Tern in breeding plumage about to take off with its prey, which looks like a grasshopper - in which case the bird is the farmer's "best friend" (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

Gull-billed Tern in breeding plumage defending its catch against a Black-headed Gull (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Gull-billed Tern in breeding plumage taking off with its prey, possibly a prawn (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

Flock of about 100 Gull-billed Terns in breeding plumage hunting above a submerged rice paddy (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

Flock of about Gull-billed Terns in breeding plumage in a submerged rice paddy (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2019]

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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