tarapiroe - black-fronted tern - Chlidonias albostriatus
Endemic to New Zealand and nationally endangered.
Photographed on the Ashley-Rakahuri River, Canterbury, New Zealand.
The black-fronted tern is a small grey tern commonly seen on braided rivers, estuaries and harbours of the eastern South Island. They breed on the braided rivers of the eastern South Island, dispersing to coastal areas after breeding; it is during this time that some birds are seen in the North Island. The black-fronted tern is an attractive and highly distinctive bird in breeding plumage, with the slate grey plumage contrasting with the black cap and bright orange bill. Juveniles and immature birds may be confused with other vagrant tern species but all are easily separable. In addition to feeding on rivers, estuaries and offshore waters black-fronted tern are often observed flying over pasture and arable fields with their distinctive buoyant flight, hawking insects and picking worms from the ground.
A familiar tern of the eastern South Island, the black-fronted tern is a distinctive small grey tern with a moderately forked tail, very short legs and short bill sharply decurved at the tip. The adults are striking in breeding plumage, with the pale grey body plumage contrasting with the black cap, narrow white cheek stripe and bright orange bill. In non-breeding plumage, they have a mottled grey cap, a black patch around the eye and ear coverts, and a black tip to the bill. Juvenile and immature birds are similar to non-breeding adults, but have the crown and nape more heavily streaked or mottled black, some buff scaling on the back, and the bill is dark brown with some dull orange at the base - www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz
tarapiroe - black-fronted tern - Chlidonias albostriatus
Endemic to New Zealand and nationally endangered.
Photographed on the Ashley-Rakahuri River, Canterbury, New Zealand.
The black-fronted tern is a small grey tern commonly seen on braided rivers, estuaries and harbours of the eastern South Island. They breed on the braided rivers of the eastern South Island, dispersing to coastal areas after breeding; it is during this time that some birds are seen in the North Island. The black-fronted tern is an attractive and highly distinctive bird in breeding plumage, with the slate grey plumage contrasting with the black cap and bright orange bill. Juveniles and immature birds may be confused with other vagrant tern species but all are easily separable. In addition to feeding on rivers, estuaries and offshore waters black-fronted tern are often observed flying over pasture and arable fields with their distinctive buoyant flight, hawking insects and picking worms from the ground.
A familiar tern of the eastern South Island, the black-fronted tern is a distinctive small grey tern with a moderately forked tail, very short legs and short bill sharply decurved at the tip. The adults are striking in breeding plumage, with the pale grey body plumage contrasting with the black cap, narrow white cheek stripe and bright orange bill. In non-breeding plumage, they have a mottled grey cap, a black patch around the eye and ear coverts, and a black tip to the bill. Juvenile and immature birds are similar to non-breeding adults, but have the crown and nape more heavily streaked or mottled black, some buff scaling on the back, and the bill is dark brown with some dull orange at the base - www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz