ID help

[Brendan Dozier]

Looking for some ID help for this new comer I just saw at the local beach. Just a bit smaller than a seagull. They kind of look like a cross between a seagull and a kingfisher.

Location: Southern California
Time: Now (November)

Hopefully I can get some more shots of these guys without the harsh light.

Appreciate your help,

- Brendan

[P-A. Fortin]

I would say juvenile Caspian Tern of Royal Tern (juvenile as well).

As of differencing these 2, I am not at this level yet :e3

[Michael Lloyd]

The hard part is already done but I don't think it's a juvenile. Juvy's don't have solid gray. I think it's an adult non-breeding Royal Tern

[P-A. Fortin]

I thought the adults, even the non-breeding ones, would have a more reddish bill?

[Michael Lloyd]

All I have to go by is the Sibley's guide and BNA (subscription service) (http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna). The back and wings are completely gray in the adult and mostly white with some grey mottling for the juvenile Royal Tern. They note that the bill is yellowish in the juvenile. BNA has almost the exact image as you posted and they label it as an Adult Royal Tern, nonbreeding plumage. Your image is better than theirs :S3:

Caspian's (adult and juvenile) have a dark head

Side note- BNA noted that the study of the mitochondrial DNA has caused them to change the genus from Sterna (White Terns) to Thalasseus (Crested Terns).

[Brendan Dozier]

Thanks guys, much appreciated. Sounds like it's an adult Royal Tern, looking through google images it looks like a positive match. Nice when you're getting bored out there to have some great looking birds make a surprise visit. It left just when I was starting to get some better angles. Was kind of bummed as it flew into the distance, but then it circled around and came right back flying right over my head and landing nearby.

[Paul Guris]

The bird is an adult basic (winter) plumage Royal Tern. Juvs would should grayish-brown markings in the wings. This would be true for juvs of Elegant and Caspian as well. The bill would be less intensely orange in juv Royal or Elegant.

Caspian is out due to the extensive white forehead, the more shaggy crest, and a bill that is not stout enough and not red enough. Elegant is the more similar species but the bill would be slimmer, more decurved, and not as deep an orange. The crest would be more solidly dark though still with the extensive white forehead.

Here are the BirdFellow accounts that have ID photos in them:

Royal Tern
http://www.birdfellow.com/birds/royal-tern-thalasseus-maximus

Elegant Tern (photo #13 has a great Royal/Elegant comparison)
http://www.birdfellow.com/birds/elegant-tern-thalasseus-elegans

Caspian Tern
http://www.birdfellow.com/birds/caspian-tern-hydroprogne-caspia

[Brendan Dozier]

Thanks Paul!

[P-A. Fortin]

Is there a portable version of Paul Guris I could take with me on my birding trips? :t3

[Paul Guris]

Is there a portable version of Paul Guris I could take with me on my birding trips? :t3

OUCH! I know I'm getting older and slowing down, but I still at least like to think I could be described as "portable"! :w3


For people her who are ramping up on their bird ID skills, there's a great and (I think) totally underrated book out there, though it may be out of print. The book is called Identify Yourself: The 50 Most Common Birding Identification Challenges (http://www.amazon.com/Identify-Yourself-Birding-Identification-Challenges/dp/B005Q5SML8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8) (at least still available at Amazon) and it's VERY approachable and easy to follow. It's also cheap and costs only about $8. I don't have my copy in front of me right now, but it covers ID issues like the terns (both large and small), hawks, ducks, shorebirds, vireos, warblers, sparrows, etc. I highly recommend it if you want to get better at bird ID.