Caspian Tern

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iCaspian Tern

Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Sternidae
Genus: Hydroprogne
Kaup, 1829
Species: H. caspia
Binomial name
Hydroprogne caspia
(Pallas, 1770)

The Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia formerly Sterna caspia - see Bridge et al., 2005) is the largest tern, growing to 23 inches, with a wingspan up to 4.5 feet.

Adult birds have black legs and a long thick red-orange bill. They have a white head with a black cap and white neck, belly and tail. The upper wings and back are pale grey; the underwings are pale with dark tips.

Their breeding habitat is large lakes and ocean coasts in North America including the Great Lakes and locally across much of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. They usually nest on the ground among debris or sometimes on floating material.

North American birds migrate to southern coasts, the West Indies and northern South America. Eurasian birds winter in the Old World tropics.

These birds dive for fish, hovering high over the water and then plunging. They also sometimes eat insects and the young and eggs of other birds.

The call is a loud heron-like croak.

The Caspian Tern is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

[edit] References

  • BirdLife International (2004). Sterna caspia. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
  • Bridge, E. S.; Jones, A. W. & Baker, A. J. (2005): A phylogenetic framework for the terns (Sternini) inferred from mtDNA sequences: implications for taxonomy and plumage evolution. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 35: 459–469. PDF fulltext
  • Burnie, David & Wilson, Don E. (editors) (2001): [Caspian Tern]. In: Smithsonian Institution Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World's Wildlife: 307. Washington DC & New York, Smithsonian Institution & Dorling Kindersley Publishing. ISBN 0789477645
  • Collinson, M. (2006). Splitting headaches? Recent taxonomic changes affecting the British and Western Palaearctic lists. British Birds 99(6): 306-323.
  • del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. (editors) (1996): Handbook of birds of the world, Volume 3: Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 84-87334-22-9
  • Harrison, Peter (1988): Seabirds (2nd edition). Christopher Helm, London ISBN 0-7470-1410-8
  • National Geographic Society (2002): Field Guide to the Birds of North America. National Geographic, Washington DC. ISBN 0-792-26877-6
  • Sibley, David Allen (2000): The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. ISBN 0-679-45122-6
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