common tern nz

MacCulloch, A. If seen in breeding plumage, the black cap of the common tern extends to the base of the bill, so it is unlike the plumage of the white-fronted tern, which always has a white strip between its bill and its black cap. Clark, W.C.; Dawson, E.W. Predators or humans entering a colony are repeatedly dived at. Most other ‘capped’ terns, including the black-fronted tern, have black caps that reach the bill when in breeding plumage. (eds.) The head is capped in black to below the eye, leaving a white area above the bill. http://www.nzbirds.com/birds/whitefrontedtern.html, http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=3267. Voice: the main call is a high-pitched siet; a harsh keark or keeahk is uttered by birds defending their nests. The field guide to the birds of New Zealand. Voice: Grating and thin common tern (Sterna hirundo), ... New Zealand. Prey (mainly small fish) is normally taken by surface or shallow plunging and occasional dipping. Colonies of nesting terns are vulnerable to disturbance by people and their dogs. Common terns usually associate with white-fronted terns in New Zealand, but are often on the edge of a flock. The white-fronted tern is a medium-sized, long-tailed sea tern that is common around New Zealand coasts. www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz, Similar species: White-fronted tern, Arctic tern, Antarctic tern. The back and upperwings are grey, the rump dark brown and the bill is red, tipped black. Outside of the breeding season the cap recedes, leaving the forehead white. Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) with prey, flying past the sun, Minsener Oog, East Frisian Islands, Lower Saxony Wadden Sea. Grey body, black head, red beak and legs . In New Zealand, common terns are frequently confused with the white-fronted tern, which is slightly larger and has slightly paler dorsal plumage. www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz, Similar species: Common tern, Arctic tern. Their name refers to the narrow white band between their black cap and bill. The white-fronted tern is the most common tern on the New Zealand coastline, at times occurring in flocks of many hundreds or even thousands of birds. The first confirmed record was from Pukerua Bay, north of Wellington, in January 1984. Book accommodation in Miranda; Shakespeare Regional Park – Pest proof fenced bird sanctuary with wild Kiwi. New Zealand Birds Online. The name ‘common tern’ is a misnomer in New Zealand as this species is a very rare vagrant here. 2010. Some of these mix with flocks of New Zealand’s native white-fronted terns. 1966. Similar species: easily confused with other medium-sized tern species and only distinguished with care. These wintering terns are frequently seen on the coasts of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. The white-fronted tern also known as Tara, Sea Swallow, Black-billed Tern, Kahawai Bird, Southern Tern, or Swallow tail, was first described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1789. Pahi, August 2012. 2000 (revised edition). ABOVE: A Common Tern in breeding plumage photographed in July in Sweden. Pp. 1996. 223-243. Notornis 39: 319-321. The Antarctic Tern is a medium-sized tern (length 32-36 cm, wingspan 72-79 cm) with grey body and wings, white rump, a white deeply forked tail, and distinctive black cap that reaches down to the bill. In New Zealand, common terns are mainly found on the coast, but are occasionally found on inland waterways. The common tern is a rare vagrant to New Zealand, but is probably an annual visitor that is often over-looked. Falla, R.A; Sibson, R.B. ; Turbott, E.G. All subspecies in breeding plumage have a black cap extending over their nape and crown to the base of their bill. Common tern. Before laying, the male courtship-feeds the female, presenting small fish to her. These include the common tern and the Arctic tern, both from the Arctic region, and the little tern and the white-winged black tern from Asia. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. Common tern. Higgins, P.J. A common tern that hatched in Sweden and was found dead five months later on Stewart Island, New Zealand, must have flown at least 25,000 km (16,000 mi). Immature birds are similar to non-breeding adults. http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=3270. Most Common Terns develop only a faint greyish flush below (some are darker though). Common terns are normally seen in New Zealand from November to April. Around 15 species of terns can be seen on our shores - including both the Antarctic and Arctic Terns, and the rarely seen, ironically named Common Tern. Ruawai, Northland, March 2015. Tennyson, A.J.D. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. It is mainly a marine species that is seldom found far from the coast. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 7: 147-153. Feeding terns dive from 5-10 m above the surface. A vagrant non-breeding Antarctic tern is another species that could be confused with common and Arctic terns, but Antarctic terns have not been reported north of Foveaux Strait. I’ve managed to spy myself four of these species - The White-Fronted Tern, Black-Fronted Tern, Little Tern, and… The trans-Tasman dispersal of the white-fronted tern (Sterna striata, Gm.) The Terns are an iconic family of New Zealand birds. In breeding adults a striking black cap covers the head from forehead to nape, leaving a small white strip across the top of the black beak. They occasionally forage up larger Canterbury rivers, but are seldom found far from the coast. The bird gallery links to in-depth descriptions of most New Zealand birds. A medium sized tern that has an all white body including under wing and forked tail, with grey hues that flow over the upper wing. The New Zealand bird views series highlights the common birds in New Zealand – the birds we view every day but tend to take for granted because they are always there. In Checklist Committee (OSNZ) 2010. birds seen well offshore). Common Tern NZOR Identifier: 9e3cf7a0-6e17-4647-aa63-7b66f26f90cb. Readers Digest complete book of New Zealand birds (ed.Robertson, C.J.R.). Their body and sharply forked tail are white, and their wings are pale grey. • Beaman, Mark; Madge, Steve; Burn, Hilary; Zetterstrom, Dan (1998). Summary. It is similar in appearance to some other tern species, particularly the white-fronted tern, and so is very hard to identify. Notornis 7: 65-69. The arctic tern has similar coloration to the common tern, but it has an all-red beak and shorter, red legs. It is pale grey above and white below, with a black cap that is separated from the bill by a white band (or by an entirely white fore-crown in non-breeding plumage). The scientific name striata refers to the finely-barred (striated) dorsal plumage of recently fledged white-fronted terns, as the original description and name was based on a juvenile bird painted by William Ellis, surgeon’s second mate on the Discovery, on Captain Cook’s third visit to New Zealand. White-fronted terns are the most common tern species on the New Zealand coast and are often seen in large flocks. The sub-family comprises about 42 species in seven genera. The majority of sightings have been from the Manawatu River estuary, Kapiti coast and Bay of Plenty river mouths, but this may partly reflect observer effort and awareness. Tennyson, A.J.D. It breeds from eastern Siberia south to China. Mills, J.A. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds. Tiny, delicate-looking tern. Other names: tara, kahawai bird, sea-swallow, swallow tail, black-billed tern, whitefronted tern, white fronted tern, White-fronted tern. It is light grey above, has red or black legs, and a straight black bill. High quality Common Tern gifts and merchandise. 2013 [updated 2020]. white fronted tern, Sterna striata, found in New Zealand Birds' bird gallery section, includes general information about the bird, taxonomy, description, where to find them and other useful and interesting information. They nest in dense colonies which provide little protection against predation by introduced mammalian predators such as stoats, ferrets, cats, and rats. Most of the terns remain in New Zealand during the winter, but in autumn some white-fronted terns, mostly immatures, disperse to south-eastern Australia. The white-fronted tern is the largest and palest of the three species. 3, snipe to pigeons. They usually have red bills with black tips (all-black in Asian longipennis). Collins,Auckland. In the breeding season, the black cap extends from the white frontal strip down to the back of neck, and both sexes may develop a pink flush to the underparts. 1980. Similar species: the white-fronted tern is easily distinguished from the two other widespread New Zealand tern species (the much larger Caspian tern, and smaller, darker black-fronted tern), but is very similar to the Arctic tern and especially the common tern, which are rare visitors to New Zealand. The forked tail enables the bird to manoeuvre extremely well, which is an advantage in foraging for small fish. At Kaikoura in 1976, of 180 nests, 81% contained one egg and 19% two. The sexes are similar. Rare bird reports in 1991. Terns tend to arrive at a prospective nesting location only a few days before laying, and there is a high degree of synchronisation of laying within a colony. It has since been reported almost every year from locations in the North Island; there are also a few South Island records. scotland, uk - common tern stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images common tern on a bird house, michias seal island - common tern stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images Common tern. 2013. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds. Caspian Tern: Gull-billed Tern (NZ vagrant) Crested Tern (NZ vagrant) White-fronted Tern: Common Tern: Arctic Tern (NZ vagrant) Antarctic Tern: Little Tern: Fairy Tern: Sooty Tern: Bridled Tern (NZ vagrant) Whiskered Tern (NZ vagrant) White-winged Black Tern (NZ vagrant) Grey Ternlet: Common Noddy (NZ vagrant) Black Noddy: White Tern Break out your top hats and monocles; it’s about to classy in here. The southern migration begins in August-September and birds fly north again from February. 1985. When breeding the Common Tern is white, with a black crown from bill to nape extending to the bottom of the eye. White-fronted tern. The name ‘white-fronted’ refers to the ‘frons’ or forehead, where a thin strip of white separates the black cap from the black bill. Tiritiri Matangi Island – Bird Sanctuary accessible by Ferry from Auckland CBD, a great day trip. Often small stones are brought in to line the bottom of the nest. (ed.) 20/01/03 Common tern, Sterna hirundo (prob sub sp. Pair-bonds are retained from one season to the next. Printed on 100% cotton watercolour textured paper, Art Prints would be at home in any gallery. The common tern was first positively identified in New Zealand only in 1984. The common tern is also similar to the rare Arctic tern, which is smaller, normally has shorter legs, sometimes has a red bill, and has a whiter crown in non-breeding plumage. It is pale grey above and white below, with a black cap that is separated from the bill by a white band. White-fronted tern. A medium-sized tern with pale grey upperparts, red or black legs, and a straight red or black bill. They have the black nape streaked with white and the wing coverts and distinctive light brown mottling. Taranui, the Caspian Tern, Sterna caspia, found in New Zealand Birds' bird gallery section, includes general information about the bird, taxonomy, description, where to find them and other useful and interesting information. The New Zealand population has been in decline over the last 40 years. This volume presents over 100 previously unpublished photographs of the three species of common tern in New Zealand: Black-fronted tern, Caspian tern, White-fronted tern. The pilings of an old bridge in Tauranga are a regular nesting site for a small group and is easily accessible for photography from the footpath on the … Calls at breeding colony (southern black-backed gull in background), Flight calls over roosting area (red-billed gulls prominent, shore plover in backround), Calls at breeding colony (some red-billed gull calls), Adults calling at breeding colony (black-backed gull in background). Readily identified by tiny size, though wintering adults can be confusingly similar in patterning to Common Tern; look out for black stripes extending from the shoulder to the wingtip. The best places to spot birds near Auckland. The white-fronted tern is the most common tern on the New Zealand coastline, at times occurring in flocks of many hundreds or even thousands of birds. Breeding usually occurs in large dense colonies on shingle river beds, sand dunes, stacks and cliffs. Vol. At sea it frequently feeds in shoaling fish swarms associated with kahawai, gulls and shearwaters. In Miskelly, C.M. This tern is the most common tern on the New Zealand coastline, at times occurring in flocks of many hundreds or even thousands of birds. ISBN 0-7136-3960-1. The common tern is a small to medium-sized tern which has distinct breeding and non-breeding plumages. The New Zealand bird views series highlights the common birds in New Zealand – the birds we view every day but tend to take for granted because they are always there. Once widespread around the North Island and on the eastern South Island, the New Zealand fairy tern now breeds at only four main nesting sites - … Photo about Common tern with black bill, migratory visitor to New Zealand. White-fronted terns feed on small and larval fish at sea, in lagoons or up rivers. Actual flight distances are, of course, much greater than the shortest possible route. A ‘strange’ tern was first spotted by Sav as we scanned the birds roosting at the high tide flock on the end of the spit. Flocks of white-fronted terns feeding over shoals of pelagic fish often attract the attention of fishers wishing to troll for kahawai, giving rise to the tern’s alternative name of kahawai bird. Forster's tern ( S. forsteri ) breeds in salt and freshwater marshes of the northern prairies, and to a lesser degree along the southern coasts of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. White-fronted terns feed on small fish at sea or up rivers. New Zealand Birds Online. Their body and sharply forked tail are white, and their wings are pale grey. Mills, J.A. Ornithological Society of New Zealand & Te Papa Press, Wellington. Guest, R. 1992. The white-fronted tern or tara (Sterna striata) is the most common tern living along New Zealand coasts, and on the Chatham and Auckland islands. Properties Language English Application - is vernacular for Full name ... New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity Volume 1. In the non-breeding season it migrates south to coastal areas including Australasia. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic birds. The eyelids, eyes and bill are black, and the legs vary from black to dull red-brown. Eastern common tern Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Breeding occurs mainly on the coast of New Zealand and its outlying islands, Stewart, Chatham, and Auckland Islands, and off northeast Tasmania at Flinders and Cape Barren Islands. Sometimes a site will be used in successive seasons, but usually the birds change sites in successive years even if they were successful at a specific site the previous season. 1957. Heather, B.D. Checklist of the birds of New Zealand, Norfolk and Macquarie Islands, and the Ross Dependency, Antarctica (4th edn). Flying Tern. The Sterninae, a sub-family of the Laridae, is comprised of the terns and noddies, a cosmopolitan group of seabirds, with narrow pointed wings and long pointed bills, They are mostly slimmer, longer-tailed and more aerial than gulls. The tail is white and forked; the length of the tail and depth of the fork decrease in size outside of the breeding season. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. Breeding plumage adults have a black-tipped red bill, a black cap extending over the nape and crown to the base of the bill; non-breeding adults have a white forehead and fore-crown, black bill and legs, and a variable dark bar on the inner upperwing. It is mainly a marine species that is seldom found far from the coast. White-fronted terns are common all around New Zealand coasts. ; Robertson, H.A. London: Christopher Helm. (ed.) Adult non-breeding. New Zealand birding discussion forum. The bird gallery links to in-depth descriptions of most New Zealand birds. Their name refers to the narrow white band between their black cap and bill. The upper parts and upper wings are a pearly grey/white and the neck, underparts and underwings are white. In Thai: นกนางนวลแกลบธรรมดา, nok naang-nuan klaep tham-ma-daa Binomial name: Sterna hirundo, Carolus Linnaeus, 1758 The common tern (Sterna hirundo) is a seabird in the family Laridae. Terns Several species of tern migrate to New Zealand each year in small numbers. Flight calls (nonbreeding, with whimbrel in background). Juveniles are similar to adults in non-breeding plumage but have brown tips to some of their dorsal feathers. White-fronted terns often nest adjacent to red-billed gull colonies and some gulls, especially males, specialise in preying on the eggs and chicks of terns. The influence of age on laying date, clutch size, and egg size of the white-fronted tern, Sterna striata. longipennis), at Manawatu Estuary. The outer edge of the first primary has a narrow black or brownish-black band. Sexes are similar but females are slightly smaller. The White-fronted Tern is the most widespread tern in New Zealand. Lari. They can be difficult to tell apart from other similar-looking terns. Image © Thomas Musson by Thomas Musson. Inspired designs on t-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. Adult. oban, argyll. Mainly coastal, but also occurs inland locally. They are the most abundant tern … Breeding plumage has black cap with white forehead chevron, black-tipped yellow bill. So there isn’t much contrast with the white cheek. Geographical variation: Three subspecies are recognised but only the eastern common tern S. h. longipennis has been recorded from New Zealand. The bill and feet are red… Recently fledged birds have fine blackish barring (striations) over the back and wing coverts. There are many pelagic records from Australia (i.e. The legs are also red. White-fronted terns are our most common tern and are a joy to watch with their delicate flight and high pitched calls. Image of bill, longipennis, plumage - 158279792 The name ‘white-fronted’ refers to the ‘frons’ or forehead, where a thin strip of white separates the black cap from the black bill. The New Zealand population has declined markedly over the last 40 years and is currently regarded as At Risk/Declining. A medium-sized tern, pale grey above and white below, with a long white forked-tail, a black cap separated from the long pointed black bill by a white band, and a narrow dark band on the outer edge of the first primary. The difference between a non-breeding common tern and an adult breeding white-fronted tern is that a non-breeding common tern is notably smaller, has a smaller and finer beak, longer legs, and a dark shoulder strap. The Handbook of Bird Identification: For Europe and the Western Palearctic. ; Miranda – A short drive to Auckland’s South East Coast sees huge flocks of migratory shore birds (seasonal). Breeding adults have a black cap that extends from the white frontal strip down to the back of neck; non-breeding adults have a reduced cap leaving the forehead white. High quality Terns inspired Art Prints by independent artists and designers from around the world. The White-fronted tern is a medium-sized, long-tailed sea Tern that is common around New Zealand coasts. Reader’s Digest, Sydney. Common terns are gregarious, however most New Zealand records have been of single birds, most of which were associating with white-fronted terns. The call is a high pitched 'siet'. The 1-3 (usually 1) eggs are laid in a slight depression on the bare ground without any nesting material. Image © Thomas Musson by Thomas Musson tomandelaine@xtra.co.nz. The White Fronted Tern is the most common tern in New Zealand. Common tern Scientific name: Sterna hirundo Bird family: Gulls and terns UK conservation status: Amber Protected by The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 The Common Tern is actually common in the northern hemisphere, and is less so in Australia. ; Shaw, P.W. The most widespread subspecies S. h. hirundo, which has reached Australia but not yet New Zealand, has an orange-red bill with a black tip when in breeding plumage. Birds in non-breeding plumage have the black cap receded to above their eyes, and have a variable dark ‘cubital bar’ on the inner upperwing. This bird has a circumpolar distribution, its four subspecies breeding in temperate and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America. Colorful nature background. It is mainly a marine species that is seldom found far from the coast. A field guide to the birds of New Zealand. In Miskelly, C.M. There are no diet data from New Zealand. ; Davies, S.J.J.F. common tern (sterna hirundo) flying in oban town centre while fishing. White-fronted terns often breed in ephemeral sites such as river beds, estuaries or river mouths that are subjected to frequent flooding. This volume presents over 100 previously unpublished photographs of the three species of common tern in New Zealand: Black-fronted tern, Caspian tern, White-fronted tern. The eastern subspecies of the common tern is on its nesting grounds from May to September. It has a long black bill and short black legs. But your walls are better. The white-fronted tern or tara (Sterna striata) is the most common tern living along New Zealand coasts, and on the Chatham and Auckland islands. Viking: Auckland. Their name refers to the narrow white band Digest complete book of New Zealand birds ( ed.Robertson,.! Cap from the coast, but it has since been reported almost every year locations. ; Burn, Hilary ; Zetterstrom, Dan ( 1998 ) beak and shorter, red or black legs and! 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