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10

Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) Alternate name(s): "Long-legged Tern" Size: 33-42 cm; wing span 75-90 cm Weight: 150-290 g

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Gull-billed Terns are medium-sized terns. During the breeding season they have a black cap, white front (throat, neck, chest, belly and vent) and grey wings. The black eyes are surrounded by the black cap, while the frons (base of the bill) is also black. The stout bill is black, the short legs and feet are also black. In eclipse the cap becomes mostly white, with grey patches remaining behind the eyes and some mottled black-and-white remaining at the back of the head. Juveniles are mottled grey, with a mottled cap and black eye patches. Twitcher's tip Compared to other, similar terns, the Gull-billed Tern has the most massive black bill (hence its name).

Taxonomy, classification See Gull-billed Tern at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species 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 Gull-billed Tern is available HERE . Gull-billed Terns are a global species, of which there are 6 extant races. All races are dispersive after the end of the breeding season, and those breeding in the northern hemisphere are the most strongly migratory races. Nominate race "nilotica" have a very extended breeding range, from Europe and North Africa in the West, through the Middle East and southern-central Asia to western China and Thailand in the East. The breeding range of the Asian race "affinis" extends from parts of Indonesia (Borneo, Sulawesi, Sumatra) through the Philippines and south-eastern Asia, South and East China up to Japan in the East. Race "macrotarsa" breeds only in Australia. The three other races, "aranea", "vanrossemi" and "gronvoldi" are found in various parts of the Americas (for details see, e.g., Wikipedia). The northern races tend to spend the winters farther South, e.g. in southern America, in Africa, south-eastern Asia and even New Zealand. In Arabia Gull-billed Terns, nominate race "nilotica", are found mostly as winter visitors, but there are also reports of birds spending the summer and they may have bred in the area. Outside the breeding season, Gull-billed Terns will be found almost exclusively in coastal habitats, e.g. resting on beaches or hunting in coastal waters. Only during the breeding season they may also be found inland. They are most commonly found along the North coast of the Arabian peninsula, including northern Oman. Gull-billed Terns can be found above coastal waters, but also in tidal flats and inland, in the shallows of freshwater lakes, including ephemeral lakes and ephemeral wetlands.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "nilotica" We have not spotted Gull-billed Terns, nominate race "nilotica", in Oman yet. Race "macrotarsa" We have spotted Gull-billed Terns, race "macrotarsa" in Australia. Race "affinis" We have spotted Gull-billed Terns, race "affinis", in Australia.

Photos

Race "nilotica"

No photos of race "nilotica" from Oman available yet.

Race "macrotarsa"

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

Race "affinis"

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

Food, Diet

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

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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Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Mon, 26 November 2018, 2:33 +00:00