General Description

Upper body pale grey, top of head, neck and underparts white. Black patch around the back of the neck from eye to eye. Dark grey-black shoulder and tip of wing. Bill black. When breeding: bill yellow with a black tip, top of head black, black stripe through eye. Young birds with upperparts mottled dark brown and light grey. Body up to 24 cm long.

Biology

These terns nest on the shore, usually in the same area as the previous year.

Habitat

Sand or shell-covered shores.

Coastal shores

Distribution guide

Northern and south-eastern Australia.

Species Group

Birds › Gulls and terns

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)

Water Column

Above surface

Max Size

24 cm

Diet

Carnivore

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

• DSE Advisory List : Not listed
• EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
• IUCN Red List : Least Concern