Sterna hirundo HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 14 inches Wingspan: 31 inches * Sexes similar * Dives into water for prey * Medium-sized tern with slender, pointed bill * Long, deeply forked tail * Smoothly rounded head without crest * Pale underwing with broad, blurry, dark trailing edge * Gray upperwing with dark outer primaries (variable according to state of condition of plumage) * Window of translucent primaries shows through wings on inner primaries and outer secondaries * Alaskan birds can have all dark bills and brown legs * Can take three years to reach full adult plumage Adult alternate: * Red legs * Orange-red bill with black tip * Black cap * White face * Medium gray foreneck, breast, and belly * Gray back and upperwings * Dark wedge in outer primaries * Primary pattern darkens with wear through season so that outer 5 primaries are entirely dark by late summer * White rump and tail, with dark edges to outer retricies * Tail extends only to tip of primaries at rest Adult basic: * Red legs * Black bill * White forehead, face, foreneck, breast, and belly * Black cap extends up from eye to crown and rearward from eye to back of head * Outer primaries and tail feathers darken with wear, becoming dark gray in basic plumage * Dark carpal bar Juvenile: * Pale flesh-colored legs * Pink to yellow-based bill turning to black with age * White forehead, foreneck, breast, and belly * Back color variable-often gray with pale brown and black feather edges * Dark carpal bar * Gray wings with brown tips to the upperwing coverts * Dark secondaries and lesser coverts contrast with paler inner wing * Short tail with dark tips Immature: * First-year birds like adult basic * Second year birds like adult alternate, but often with white feathers in cap, paler breasts and faint carpal bars. Similar species: When identifying terns, it is safest to rely upon a combination of field marks. The Common Tern is most similar to the Roseate, Arctic, and Forster's Terns. The Forster's tern has a distinctive black eye patch except in the breeding season. The Common Tern has a black eye patch that continues across the nape. During the breeding season, the Forster's Tern has paler upper surfaces to the primaries that contrast with the rest of the wing while the Common Tern has a dark wedge in the primaries; its tail has white outer edges and dark inner edges, the opposite of the Common Tern; its underparts are white not gray like the Common Tern. The Arctic Tern is quite similar in all plumages but has a shorter, stubbier bill, shorter legs, and a longer tail. In the breeding season, it has darker gray underparts, an all red bill, more translucence in the primaries, crisp black trailing edge to the primaries, and lacks the dark wedge in the upper surface of the primaries. By late summer, Common Terns can have all red bills and the underparts turn whiter. At this time of year the most useful identification feature is that the Common Terns begin molting flight feathers before migrating to the wintering grounds while the Arctic Terns do not molt until arriving on the wintering grounds. Therefore, terns with missing flight feathers, and dark, worn outer primaries contrasting with fresh inner primaries will be Commons. Juvenile Common Terns have bicolored bills, brown-washed upperparts, and dark gray secondaries while juvenile Arctics have black bills, grayer upperparts, and paler secondaries. Basic and immature plumaged birds are best separated by structural differences and wing patterns. The Roseate Tern can be told from the Common Tern by its longer all white tail, darker bill (except in late summer), paler underparts and upperparts, and lack of a dark trailing edge to the undersurface of the primaries. In juvenile plumage, Roseates have dark foreheads, dark legs, and scaly backs while the Common Terns have white foreheads, pale legs, and brown-washed backs. The larger Sterna terns (Royal, Elegant, Caspian) have entirely orange or red bills, much larger bodies, broader wings, shorter tails and black legs. In Alaska, Aleutian Tern has a white forehead. Full_View |
Sterna forsteri HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 14 inches Wingspan: 30 inches * Sexes similar * Dives into water for prey * Medium-sized tern with slender, pointed bill * Long, deeply forked tail * Smoothly rounded head without crest * Pale underwing with broad, blurry, dark trailing edge * Gray upperwing with pale primaries (and variably dark outermost primaries, dependent on plumage wear) * Little translucence in flight feathers when seen from below * May take three years to reach full adult plumage Adult alternate: * Orange legs * Orange bill with black tip * Black cap * White face, foreneck, breast and belly * Pale gray rump and tail, with dark inner edges and white outer edges to longest tail feathers * Tail extends just beyond tip of primaries at rest * Plumage held in spring to early summer * Molt to basic plumage starts in July and is nearly comlete by early fall Adult basic: * Orange legs * Black bill * White head, face, foreneck, breast, and belly * Black patch surrounding eye * Freshly molted primaries typically very pale Juvenile: * Pale orange legs * Black bill * White forehead, foreneck, breast, and belly * Black eye patch * Pale brown back * No carpal bar * Gray wings with brown tips to upperwing coverts Immature: * Black bill and legs * First-year birds generally have dark secondaries and outer primaries, and a slightly more extensive black mask * Second-year birds are generally very similar to adults in alternate plumage but often have darker primaries and secondaries and white tips to feathers in black cap Similar species: When identifying terns, it is safest to rely on a combination of field marks. In most plumages the Forster's Tern has two field marks that separate it from the similar Common, Arctic, and Roseate terns: a black eye patch and white primaries that contrast with the gray upperparts. In alternate plumage, Common and Arctic terns have gray not white underparts while the Roseate Tern often has a darker bill. Common and Arctic terns have dark outer edges of the tail and white inner edges; just the opposite of the Forster's. The undersurface of the primaries is a useful feature for separating the Forster's Tern from Arctic and Roseate terns. The Forster's Tern has a broad, blurry trailing edge to the primaries where it is thin and crisp in the Arctic and very restricted in the Roseate. On the upper surface of the primaries, the Common Tern has a dark wedge that is lacking in the Forster's Tern. The larger Sterna terns (Royal, Elegant, Caspian) have entirely orange or red bills, much larger bodies, broader wings, shorter tails and ragged crests at rear of head. Full_View |
Larus marinus HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 24 inches Wingspan: 65 inches * Very large gull * Very large bill with distinct gonydeal angle * Flat forehead and large bill give "mean" appearance Adult alternate: * Bright yellow bill with red spot at gonys * Pink legs * Yellow iris * White head, neck, breast and belly * Black mantle * White tertial and scapular crescent * Black primaries (do not contrast with back) with white tips and two white mirrors on outer primaries * White tail Adult basic: * Like adult alternate but faint brown streaking on head Juvenile/First-year: * Black bill * White head, neck, breast, and belly with very fine dark streaks * Back and upperwings strongly checkered with dark brown and white * Dark primaries * White tail with fine bars and black terminal band * White rump contrasts with back Second-year: * Pinkish bill with black tip * Pale head, neck, upper breast, and belly , streaked finely with brown * Dull brown upperwing coverts * Black back * White tail with black terminal band Third-year: * Like adult basic, but often lacks adult bill pattern, wingtip pattern, and often retains brown upperwing coverts and a partial tail band Similar species: Adults and subadults older than one year are recognizable by their black mantle. All other gulls (including Lesser Black-backed Gulls) are paler backed. First-year birds are similar to other gulls in their first winter, but have very pale heads and breasts and strongly checkered upperparts, unlike any other species. First-year Lesser Black-backed Gulls are perhaps most similar in that they have white rumps and pale heads and breasts, but are very differently proportioned being smaller-billed and much longer-winged, and even smaller in size than a Herring Gull. Full_View |
Sterna nilotica HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 13 inches Wingspan: 35 inches * Sexes similar * Medium-sized, robust tern * Thick, blunt, black bill * Short, notched tail * Pale underwings Adult alternate: * Black legs * Black cap * White face, neck, breast, and belly * Pale gray back and upperwings Adult basic: * Similar to adult alternate, but has a white forehead and dark streaking about the rear of the head, and variable dark ear spot Juvenile: * Similar to adult basic but mantle has brownish spots Similar species: The Gull-billed Tern can be identified in all plumages by its thick, relatively short, black bill and shallowly forked tail. Full_View |
Larus argentatus HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 20 inches Wingspan: 55 inches * Large gull * Fairly large bill with distinct gonydeal angle * Flat forehead and large bill give "mean" appearance Adult alternate: * Bright yellow bill with red spot at gonys * Pink legs * Yellow iris * White head, neck, breast, and belly * Gray back and upperwings * White tertial crescent * Black primaries with white tips and two white mirrors on outer primaries * White tail Adult basic: * Like adult alternate but blurry brown streaking and spotting on head and nape Juvenile/First-year: * Black bill * Brown body plumage * Dark brown primaries and secondaries * Black legs quickly become pink * Dark barred rump * Dark tail Second-year: * Pinkish bill with black tip * Pale brown head, neck, upper breast, and belly * Dull brown upperwing coverts * Dark brown primaries and tail * Gray back * White tail with black terminal band Third-year: * Like adult basic, but often lacks adult bill pattern, wing pattern, and often retains a partial tail band Similar species: Adult Herring Gulls are similar to California Gulls but are larger, have pinkish legs, a yellow iris, paler backs, and a slightly thicker yellow bill with more pronounced gonys. First-winter Herring Gulls are extremely similar to young California Gulls but usually have entirely black bills and only show contrasting secondaries in flight, and lack contrasting greater secondary coverts. Immature birds can be distinguished by back color when it is acquired but are otherwise probably best separated by the subtleties of size, shape, and bill shape. Adult Herring Gulls are similar to adult Ring-billed Gulls but are much larger with larger bills and a more pronounced gonydeal angle. Ring-billed Gulls have yellow legs and a complete black ring on the bill. Immatures Herring Gulls are browner overall than immature Ring-billed Gulls and show less contrast between the upperwing coverts and the secondaries. Adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls are much darker-backed and have yellow legs, while first-year birds are very similar but have whiter rumps, darker wing coverts, entirely black bills through their first summer, and paler heads and underparts that are spotted with brown. Western Gull is quite similar in subadult plumages but has a white rump that contrasts with back in first-year plumages, a larger bill, and shows the distinctive dark back color by the second winter. Immature Glaucous-winged Gulls lack the contrast between the upperwing coverts and primaries shown by all Herring Gulls. Thayer' Gull differs from Herring Gull primarily by morphological features. Glaucous-winged x Western Gull hybrids are typically larger-billed than Herring Gulls, and show paler primaries as immatures and a single white mirror on primaries as adults. Full_View |
Larus atricilla HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 13 inches Wingspan: 41 inches * Medium-sized, long-winged gull * Long bill somewhat droopy towards tip * Head flat at forehead, giving "mean" look * Adult plumage reached in third year Adult alternate: * Red bill * Black head * Thin white crescents above and below eye * White neck, breast, and belly * Dark gray back and upperwings * Pale scapular crescent and tertial crescent * Dark primaries, usually with no white tips * Dark primaries blend into gray of upperwings without white division * White tail Adult basic: * Black bill * White head with faint black streaking on rear part of head * Dark primaries, usually with small white tips * White tail Juvenile: * Black bill * Entirely warm brown head, neck, back, and upperwings * Pale edgings to upperwing coverts * Pale belly * Dark terminal band on white tail Immature: * First-year bird has gray back, brown upperwing coverts, pale gray head with black streaks on rear head, grayish breast , and white tail with complete black terminal band * Second-year bird is essentially like adult basic, but often has a remnant of a tail band and does not have white tips to primaries Similar species: Bonaparte's, Little, Black-headed and Sabine's Gulls have much different wing patterns, shorter, thinner bills, and have numerous other distinctions (Bonaparte's and Little are much smaller). Franklin's Gull is extremely similar. Adults in alternate plumage have darker tips to primaries, less extensive dark on underside of primaries and a white bar between gray upperwing and black primaries. Immatures and basic-plumaged adults typically have half-hoods that are much darker than those of Laughing Gulls and include the eye. Other minor plumage differences exist, but all age groups are perhaps best separated by structural features. Franklin's Gulls are smaller, shorter-billed, rounder-headed, and have shorter wings. Full_View |
Sterna antillarum HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 8.5 inches Wingspan: 20 inches * Sexes similar * Flies with very rapid wingbeats * Dives into water for prey * Diminutive tern with slender, pointed bill * Very short legs * Short, forked tail * Smoothly rounded head without crest * Pale underwing with blurry primaries along leading edge Adult alternate: * Yellow legs * Yellow bill with tiny black tip * Black cap with white forehead patch before eye * White face, foreneck, breast, and belly * Pale gray rump and tail * Entirely gray back and upperwing with dark outer two primaries Adult basic: * Orange legs * Black bill * White forehead, face, foreneck, breast, and belly * Black cap mottled with white * Entirely gray back and upperwing with dark outer two primaries Juvenile: * Pale orange legs * Pinkish bill becomes black with age * White forehead, foreneck, breast, and belly * Black eye patch * Pale crown streaked with brown and black * Pale brown back with brownish center to feathers * Dark carpal bar * Gray wings with brown tips to upperwing coverts * Dark outer five primaries forms bold, dark, wedge in flight * Short tail with dark gray-brown tips First winter/First summer: * Black bill and legs * Black half hood * Pale forehead * Pale crown streaked with black * Dark carpal bar Similar species: No other North American tern approaches the Least Tern in size except the Black Tern. When flying the wingbeats often are so rapid that they cannot be counted. Most larger terns fly with wingbeats slow enough to be counted. Black Tern is closest in size but has a swallow-like flight, rarely dives for prey, is dark gray above and has a dark gray tail and is entirely black below in adult alternate plumage. The yellow bill and legs, and white forehead of the adult Least Tern are distinctive at rest. Full_View |
HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 8.5 inches Wingspan: 20 inches * Sexes similar * Flies with very rapid wingbeats * Dives into water for prey * Diminutive tern with slender, pointed bill * Very short legs * Short, forked tail * Smoothly rounded head without crest * Pale underwing with blurry primaries along leading edge Adult alternate: * Yellow legs * Yellow bill with tiny black tip * Black cap with white forehead patch before eye * White face, foreneck, breast, and belly * Pale gray rump and tail * Entirely gray back and upperwing with dark outer two primaries Adult basic: * Orange legs * Black bill * White forehead, face, foreneck, breast, and belly * Black cap mottled with white * Entirely gray back and upperwing with dark outer two primaries Juvenile: * Pale orange legs * Pinkish bill becomes black with age * White forehead, foreneck, breast, and belly * Black eye patch * Pale crown streaked with brown and black * Pale brown back with brownish center to feathers * Dark carpal bar * Gray wings with brown tips to upperwing coverts * Dark outer five primaries forms bold, dark, wedge in flight * Short tail with dark gray-brown tips First winter/First summer: * Black bill and legs * Black half hood * Pale forehead * Pale crown streaked with black * Dark carpal bar Similar species: No other North American tern approaches the Least Tern in size except the Black Tern. When flying the wingbeats often are so rapid that they cannot be counted. Most larger terns fly with wingbeats slow enough to be counted. Black Tern is closest in size but has a swallow-like flight, rarely dives for prey, is dark gray above and has a dark gray tail and is entirely black below in adult alternate plumage. The yellow bill and legs, and white forehead of the adult Least Tern are distinctive at rest. Full_View |
HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 16 inches Wingspan: 49 inches * Medium-sized gull * Fairly short, small bill with indistinct gonydeal angle Adult alternate: * Bright yellow bill with complete black ring at gonys * Bright yellow legs * Yellow eye * White head, neck, breast and belly * Pale gray back and upperwings * White tertial crescent * Black primaries with white tips and two white mirrors on outer primaries * White tail Adult basic: * Like adult alternate but thin dark streaks about head and duller soft parts Juvenile: * Black bill quickly developing pale base * Pale head, breast, back and belly with light brown scalloping * Dark upperwing coverts with wide white edgings * Pale belly * Dark outer primaries * Dark terminal band on white tail First-year: * Pink bill with black tip * Pink or gray legs * White head, neck and upper breast streaked with brown * Pale gray back * Upperwing coverts dull brown * Pale gray secondaries * Black primaries * Dark terminal band on white tail Second-year: * Like adult basic but often with black-tipped yellow bill, entirely dark primaries and partial tail band Similar species: Adult Herring Gulls are similar to Ring-billed Gulls but are much larger, have pinkish legs, and a much thicker yellow bill with more pronounced gonys. First-winter Herring Gulls are much browner, but second and third-winter birds can be confusing since soft part colors are variable and third-year Herring Gull often show a ring around the bill. Such birds are most easily distinguished by the larger size and larger bill of Herring Gull. California Gulls are more similar in size and shape but are still larger and bigger-billed. Adults are darker-backed than Ring-billeds, with a brown eye, heavier head streaking, and a different bill pattern. Immatures are browner overall and show less contrast between the upperwing coverts and the secondaries. Adult Mew Gulls have unmarked bills, a darker gray back and are smaller. Juvenile Mew Gulls are much darker. First and second-winter Mew Gulls have a darker gray back and a daintier appearance. Common Black-headed and Bonaparte's Gulls are somewhat smaller in winter but have dark auriculars and very different wing markings in flight. Winter adult Black-legged Kittiwake has a plain yellow bill and entirely black wingtips. Full_View |
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BLACKBEARD !!