General

White Tern: Medium-sized tern. Snow white overall, dark eyes and black eyerings make it appear to have large eyes. Notched tail. Wings and tail may appear translucent when overhead. Bill is black with dark blue base. Sexes are similar. Juveniles resemble adult, may show black spot behind eye and feathers on upperparts are tinged with brown. Base of bill is black. Also called a Common Fairy-tern. Swerving and erratic fluttering flight.

Range and Habitat

White Tern: Found along the southern coast of Oahu and in city parks where they can become quite tame. Nests and roosts in trees of dense forests or low vegetation.

Breeding and Nesting

White Tern: One off-white egg, heavily marked with gray, brown, and black streaks, is laid in a shallow depression of a tree branch or ledge. Egg is incubated by both adults for 33 to 41 days. Chick fledges around 48 to 53 days after hatching.

Foraging and Feeding

White Tern: Feeds mostly on goatfish and flying fish, sometimes takes squid. Forages by snatching fish from surface of water and air-dipping, catching fish in midair as they leap out of the water to avoid larger fish.

Vocalization

White Tern: Call is given in flight or perched, and may vary in pitch, intensity, rate and number of notes. Described as "eenk-eenk-eenk" or "grrich-grrich-grrich".

Similar Species

White Tern: Blue Noddy is very light gray, and may appear white in bright sunlight.