Bird · GBIF taxon 2481285
Elegant Tern
Thalasseus elegansElegant Terns are slim pale seabirds with long orange bills, black shaggy crests, and deeply forked tails. They plunge-dive for small schooling fish and nest densely on a limited number of coastal islands.
ternplunge divercolonial seabird
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Near ThreatenedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNear ThreatenedRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- anchovies
- sardines
- silversides
Predators
- large gulls
- peregrine falcons
- introduced mammals
ThreatsNesting disturbance, shifting fish supplies, severe storms, entanglement, pollution, and concentrated breeding sites
HabitatsCoastal waters, bays, estuaries, beaches, lagoons, and sparsely vegetated nesting islands
Life spanOften more than ten years, with some banded terns living considerably longer
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyLaridae
- SpeciesThalasseus elegans
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Remain well outside nesting colonies and obey seasonal beach or island closures.
Responsible observation
- Identify: Note the long orange bill and untidy black rear crest.
- Watch: Scan above feeding schools for repeated hovering and plunge-diving.
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.