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    Roseate Tern Identification

    Roseate Tern Breeding adult
    Breeding adult

    Medium-sized, very pale gray tern with a long forked tail. Bill color varies from entirely black to having orange at the base depending on time of year. Note black crown and rounded head.

    © Nick Dorian | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, July 08, 2017
    Roseate Tern Breeding adult
    Breeding adult

    Breeding birds have an black cap and a thin bill. The bill is black, but turns orange at the base late in the summer. Note orange legs.

    © Ryan Schain | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, August 06, 2011
    Roseate Tern Breeding adult
    Breeding adult

    Nests and roosts on rocky islands in colonies with other terns.

    © Benjamin M Clock | Macaulay LibraryMaine, July 12, 2012
    Roseate Tern Breeding adult
    Breeding adult

    The long, forked tail extends beyond the wingtips when resting. The pale rose color on the belly for which it is named is often not visible.

    © Ian Davies | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, August 14, 2016
    Roseate Tern Juvenile
    Juvenile

    Juveniles have a scaly looking back and a smudgy crown and forehead.

    © Ian Davies | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, August 14, 2016
    Roseate Tern Breeding adult
    Breeding adult

    Flies with stiff, but shallow rowing wingbeats. Note black cap and long forked tail.

    © Ian Davies | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, May 30, 2010
    See more images of this species in Macaulay Library

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    Adult Description

    • Medium-sized tern.
    • White with black cap.
    • Tail long and deeply forked.
    • Wings white.
    • Bill black.

    Immature Description

    Juvenile with dark head, and scaly pattern across back. Immature resembles winter adult, but has darker wingtips.
    Relative Size

    Relative Sizebetween robin and crowbetween robin and crow
    Measurements
    • Both Sexes
      • Length: 13.0-16.1 in (33-41 cm)
      • Weight: 3.2-4.9 oz (90-140 g)

    Species in This Family

    Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Laridae)

    Black-legged KittiwakeBlack-legged Kittiwake
    Ivory GullIvory Gull
    Sabine's GullSabine's Gull
    Bonaparte's GullBonaparte's Gull
    Black-headed GullBlack-headed Gull
    Little GullLittle Gull
    Ross's GullRoss's Gull
    Laughing GullLaughing Gull
    Franklin's GullFranklin's Gull
    Heermann's GullHeermann's Gull
    Mew GullMew Gull
    Ring-billed GullRing-billed Gull
    Western GullWestern Gull
    California GullCalifornia Gull
    Herring GullHerring Gull
    Iceland GullIceland Gull
    Lesser Black-backed GullLesser Black-backed Gull
    Glaucous-winged GullGlaucous-winged Gull
    Glaucous GullGlaucous Gull
    Great Black-backed GullGreat Black-backed Gull
    Least TernLeast Tern
    Gull-billed TernGull-billed Tern
    Caspian TernCaspian Tern
    Black TernBlack Tern
    Roseate TernRoseate Tern
    Common TernCommon Tern
    Arctic TernArctic Tern
    Forster's TernForster's Tern
    Royal TernRoyal Tern
    Sandwich TernSandwich Tern
    Elegant TernElegant Tern
    Black SkimmerBlack Skimmer

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