A medium tern with thicker bill than most terns (looks gull-like). Often hunts insects and small lizards over land rather than diving for fish.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The gull-billed tern is a tern in the family Laridae. It is widely distributed and breeds in scattered localities in Europe, Asia, northwest Africa, and the Americas. The Australian gull-billed tern was previously considered a subspecies.
Source: Wikipedia — Gull-billed tern Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Stocky, pale tern with a stout all-black bill, a black cap (breeding), broad wings, and a shallowly forked tail. Winter birds have a white head with a dark eye smudge.
Similar species. Other terns have thinner, often orange or red bills; the thick black gull-like bill and broad wings are distinctive.
Voice. A nasal, laughing 'kay-week' or 'cha-week'.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Small fish caught by plunge-diving or surface-snatching.
Behavior. An unusual tern that rarely plunge-dives; instead it hawks insects in the air and gleans crabs and lizards from marshes and fields, more like a gull than a tern.
§ Range
Coastal southeastern US, Mexico
§ Habitat
Coastal beaches, salt marshes
§ Threats
Coastal habitat loss, beach disturbance.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the gull-billed tern is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support coastal preserves. Respect nesting areas.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Gull-billed tern
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Gelochelidon nilotica
- IUCN Red List — search for Gelochelidon nilotica
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Gelochelidon nilotica
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
