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The Royal Tern is part of a family of large, noisy shorebirds called Laridae. I shot this picture of a Royal Tern making loud noises while standing amidst a small flock of other Royal Terns on the white, sun-drenched Sand Key beach in Clearwater, Florida.
Back in Brooklyn, under the watchful eye of Heather Wolf, Common Terns are often seen in Brooklyn Bridge Park and on Plum Beach. โRoyal Terns do visit Kings County and have been observed more along Plum Beach and Coney Island than in Brooklyn Bridge Park,โ says Wolf.
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology says of the Royal Tern: It is โa sleek seabird of warm saltwater coasts, it lives up to it regal name with a tangerine colored bill and ragged, ink-black crest against crisp white plumage. Royal Terns fly gracefully and slowly along coastlines, diving for small fish, which they capture with a swift strike of their dagger-like bills. They are very social birds, gathering between fishing expeditions on undisturbed beaches and nesting in dense, boisterous colonies.โ
Royal Tern: Coastal Elegance and Fascinating Behaviors
The Royal Tern is an impressive coastal bird recognizable by its bright orange bill, black crest, and forked tail. During breeding season, these large terns display a distinctive white forehead that transitions to a fully black cap. With their pale gray upperparts and striking appearance, Royal Terns add graceful beauty to Atlantic coast shorelines.
Nesting Behaviors and Reproduction
Royal Terns nest in dense colonies on low lying sandy islands and barrier islands, often choosing isolated locations to avoid predators. During nesting season, they create a simple nest scrape in the sand where the female lays only one egg. After chicks hatch, young remain in a protected group called a crรจche, where they're fed and protected by breeding adults until they can fend for themselves.
Interestingly, Royal Tern populations form these colonies with precise timing. Two or more birds may work together to establish and defend suitable nest sites, with breeding range extending along coastal beaches from the mid-Atlantic states to South America. Conservation efforts focus on protecting these low lying islands from erosion and human disturbance.
Caspian Tern: A Similar Species
The Caspian Tern, a close relative to the Royal Tern, is often spotted in similar habitats but can be distinguished by its slightly larger size and deeper red bill. While the Royal Tern lives primarily along Atlantic and Gulf coasts, the Caspian Tern has a more widespread distribution across North America.
Both species engage in spectacular courtship displays featuring high spiraling flights and fish offerings between potential mates. However, Caspian Terns typically nest in smaller groups than the expansive colonies Royal Terns prefer.
Feeding Habits and Hunting Techniques
Royal Terns are skilled hunters, diving gracefully from heights to catch small fish just below the water's surface. Their diet consists primarily of small fish like anchovies and, along the west coast, Pacific sardine. During breeding season, adults may fly considerable distances from nesting colonies to productive fishing grounds in saltwater bays and the open ocean.
Non-breeding adults and birds outside breeding season maintain these fishing behaviors but travel more widely. In late summer, after young have fledged, Royal Terns often gather in larger feeding groups before many migrate to their non-breeding season territories further south.
Conservation Challenges
While Royal Tern populations remain relatively stable, they face challenges from coastal development and disturbance at nest sites. Conservation efforts focus on protecting critical breeding habitat on sandy beaches and barrier islands.
Unlike the Elegant Tern primarily found in Southern California, Royal Terns have a broader range but still require specific conditions to maintain breeding success. Birders and conservationists monitor these colonies carefully, as the birds' preference for nesting on low-lying areas makes them vulnerable to storms and rising sea levels.
For bird enthusiasts visiting coastal areas, observing these magnificent seabirds provides an opportunity to witness one of nature's specialized coastal predators in action.
Some interesting facts about the Royal Tern include its nest scrape-building habits on low-lying islands. A pair of Terns will defecate directly on the nest rim, perhaps to reinforce the nest against flooding. After a few weeks, the nest rim hardens.
Soon after birth the chicks in a colony form a โnurseryโ that can contain thousands of chicks ranging in age from 2 to 35 days old. The Royal Tern parents feed only their own chicks and bird professionals believe it is, miraculously, because they can identify the distinct sounds of their chicks.
