FAMILY NAME: Laridae SCIENTIFIC NAME: Sterna bergii SUBSPECIES: none
SIZE: 43 to 48cm. (17 to 19") tip to tail.
LOCATION: Found along the entire coastal regions of Australia, and in Asia and the Pacific Islands.
BREEDING: Breeding season is from October to December. The nest is a ground scraping, and both the male and female incubate and feed the young. The young birds gather together in nurseries, within the rookery.
GENERAL: They have a slightly down curved yellow bill, black crest, with white lores, cheeks, throat and underparts. The back, wings and tail are grey. They inhabit offshore islands, and beaches, coastal lakes and estuaries. Small fish are plucked from just below the water surface, by diving vertically from several meters.
References:
Michael Morecombe. Field Guide to Australian Birds, Complete Compact Edtion.
Ken Simpson - Nicholas Day. The Birds of Australia.
M. Blakers - S. J. J. F. Davies - P. N. Reilly. The Atlas of Australian Birds.
Birds in Backyards. www.birdsinbackyards.net
