Elegant Tern

Quick Take

• Elegant Terns raise their chicks in a way that sounds chaotic, yet there is a surprisingly clever system that keeps families from falling apart. See how creches work →
• The Elegant Tern looks nearly identical to two other terns, though one key detail on its face gives it away every time. Compare the look-alikes →
• Its nest is almost too simple to be real, and the reason it works might just surprise you. See the simple nest →
• Human activity is quietly threatening the Elegant Tern's food supply, though not in the way most people assume. Explore overfishing threats →

Elegant Terns are social birds with a loud call that sounds like ‘kar-eek!’ They live throughout a range of rocky coastal areas, lagoons, and bays in North and South America. An adult has white feathers and a dark cap or mask of black feathers over its eyes and on the top of its head. They have a lifespan of 20-plus years.

3 Elegant Tern Amazing Facts

• They have one to two eggs in a clutch
• Their conservation status is Near Threatened
• They have a long, bright yellow bill

Where To Find the Elegant Tern

The Elegant Tern can be found in the United States on the coast of California and down through the western coast of Mexico all the way to South America. In the summer season, Elegant Terns are most likely to be found in the northern part of California’s coast. However, the migration route they take in autumn to find warmer temperatures runs south to Peru and Chile.

The habitat of these seabirds includes rocky coastal areas, bays, and lagoons. They gather in large groups and are especially visible during the spring and summer. These birds are known for their loud calling behavior.

Nests

Elegant Terns scrape the ground with their bill to make a very shallow indentation. This indentation serves as their nest. Sometimes the mating pair creates a thin border of twigs around the indentation. This nest is just large enough to accommodate two eggs.

Classification and Scientific Name

Thalasseus elegans is the scientific name of the Elegant Tern. The word Thalassa is Greek, meaning sea, while the Latin word elegans translates to elegant. Its class is Aves, and it’s in the Laridae family.

Appearance & Behavior

An Elegant Tern has white feathers on its body and wings of light gray. It has a black mask of feathers on its face and head. One of the most notable things about this bird is its long, bright yellow bill. It’s perfect for plunging into the water to catch small fish. This seabird walks along on two thin black legs.

An Elegant Tern’s weight is seven to 12 ounces, and it measures 15 to 17 inches long. Its wingspan is 43 inches.

In terms of defensive features, this bird can use its bill to fight other birds and perhaps drive away small predators. However, its main defense is living in large groups — hundreds of terns can occupy a single shoreline. So, whenever a predator approaches, most members of the flock are able to escape.

Migration Pattern and Timing

This bird follows a specific migration route when the season changes from summer to fall. As the summer season approaches, Elegant Terns move north along the coast of California. Starting in April or May, they breed in these areas. When the season turns to fall, these birds begin moving south and sometimes end up as far south as Peru or Chile in South America.

Elegant Tern vs. Caspian Tern

The Elegant Tern shares similar features with several other types of terns. One of those is the Caspian Tern. At first glance, the black-feathered mask shared by both birds can make them easy to confuse. In addition, both the Caspian and the Elegant Tern have white and gray feathers along with a brightly colored bill. But look closely at these two birds and you’ll see some differences.

For one, a Caspian Tern has a red bill whereas an Elegant Tern has a yellow bill. Another noticeable difference is the Caspian Tern at 24 inches long is much larger than the Elegant Tern. Plus, the Caspian Tern has a wingspan of 57 inches whereas an Elegant Tern’s wingspan is 43 inches.

In terms of the range of these birds, the Elegant Tern lives in coastal North and South America. In contrast, the Caspian Tern is found on several continents, including North America, Africa, Australia, and Europe.

Elegant Tern vs. Royal Tern

The Royal Tern is another bird that has a lot in common with the Elegant Tern. Both birds share a similar coloration of white and gray feathers. Both have a brightly colored bill and thin black legs.

One of the main differences between these birds relates to size. The Royal Tern is larger than the Elegant Tern. The Royal Tern weighs 12 to 16 ounces and is 18 to 20 inches long. Also, though each bird’s bill is brightly colored, the Elegant Tern’s bill is longer and curved.

Diet

This bird’s diet is carnivorous.

What does the Elegant Tern eat?

Anchovies and other small fish make up the main part of this bird’s diet. It also eats crustaceans.

Predators, Threats, and Conservation Status

What eats Elegant Terns?

Foxes, dogs, and larger birds are predators of Elegant Terns.

The predators of this bird live near or within the same habitat as the Elegant Tern. For instance, a fox may be able to capture an adult Elegant Tern or find a nest of chicks.

The Elegant Tern is categorized as Near Threatened with a stable population. Overfishing by humans has reduced their food supply. In addition, extreme weather events like hurricanes have killed off fish.

Reproduction, Young and Molting

Elegant Terns lay one to two eggs in a single clutch in late spring or early summer. The incubation period of their eggs is four weeks. During that time, both the male and female take turns watching over the eggs.

After the eggs hatch, the chicks stay in their nest for about seven days. Then, they move to a large group of other chicks. This group, called a creche, can number in the hundreds.

Parents feed their chicks while they’re in the creche. They locate their young by listening for each chick’s unique call.

The chicks fledge at 35 days old and leave the creche. For the next five months, the young stay near their parents, then go off to live independently. Elegant Terns can live past the age of 20 years.

Population

The population of this bird is between 51,000 and 90,000 individuals. Their conservation status is Near Threatened, but their population is stable.