Tarapiroe - black-fronted tern - Chlidonias albostriatus

Photographed on the Ashley 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. Nationally endangered, 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 - www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz

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