Sterna caspia

Largest of the terns, with a large red nozzle, the Caspian tern ( Sterna caspia ) is a bird, rather rare almost everywhere.

Description

The body is powerful, the tail is short and slightly fourchue. The wings are rather narrow and pointed. the dorsal face is gray pale whereas the belly is white. The cap is black, more reduced in winter with a white face and white spots ahead. The nozzle is imposing, red, with a point which transfers with the black in winter. The webbed legs are black.

Length: 48 - 57 cm
Scale: 130 - 145 cm
Weight: 500 - 780 G

This tern saw can sometimes nest in isolated couple, but prefers food in colony which can contain Sternes pierregarin and Goélands with nozzle ringed. The female lays from 1 to 4 eggs, the duration of incubation varies from 20 to 27 days and the young people will put from 30 to 35 days before taking their first take-off.

Food

Prick on fish but does not scorn the insects.

Habitat

The Caspian tern is sporadic on all the continents except for the South America. In Europe, one especially meets it around the the Baltic. Migrating, it winters in Africa and can be observed in spring and in autumn in France. Those which nest in the area of the Big lakes disperse along the Atlantic coast and will spend the winter on the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico and the islands of the Caribbean Sea.

See too

Source

Inventory of the fauna of France , Marc Duquet, Nathan and MNHN, 1995, ISBN 2092780468
Canadian Service of fauna

Taxonomic references

External bonds

Species in danger: Caspian tern in Environment Canada

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