General Description

Upper body and wings pale grey, top of head, neck and underparts white. Black patch on the back of the neck from eye to eye, extending to the top of the head. Bill orange with a black tip. When breeding: bill orange, top of head black. Young birds with upperparts mottled brown and light grey. Body up to 24 cm long.

Biology

Fairy Terns breed in colonies on the shore and feed on fish. One of the subspecies in Victoria is threatened.

Habitat

Sand or shell-covered shores.

Coastal shores

Distribution guide

Western and southern Australia.

Species Group

Birds › Gulls and terns

Max Size

24 cm

Diet

Carnivore

Commercial Species

Yes

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

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