The elegant tern (Thalasseus elegans) is a medium-sized tern found along the Pacific Coast from southern California to Chile. Identifying elegant terns can be tricky since they look similar to other tern species such as the royal tern and Forster’s tern. However, there are some key field marks to look for when trying to identify an elegant tern.
Size and Structure
Elegant terns have a slender build and are about 17-20 inches long with a wingspan of about 40 inches. They have long, pointed wings and a deeply forked tail. Their bill is orange-yellow with a black tip and is thinner and more delicate looking than a royal tern’s bill.
Elegant terns look very similar to royal terns in size and structure. However, royal terns have a heavier black bill compared to the elegant tern’s slim orange and black bill. Royal terns also appear bulkier bodied and thicker necked than the more slender and delicate looking elegant tern.
Forster’s terns are noticeably smaller than elegant terns, only about 13-16 inches long with a wingspan of 32 inches. Forster’s terns have shorter wings and tails than elegant terns. Their bills are also thinner and more delicate than those of royal terns.
| Species | Length | Wingspan |
|---|---|---|
| Elegant Tern | 17-20 in | About 40 in |
| Royal Tern | 19-22 in | 46-53 in |
| Forster’s Tern | 13-16 in | 32 in |
Plumage
In breeding plumage, elegant terns have pale gray upperparts, white undersides, a black cap and crest, and a long, forked tail.
Their most distinguishing feature is their bright orange-red bill with a black tip. The black tip is more extensive on the upper mandible. The legs and feet are also black.
In non-breeding plumage, the black cap becomes mottled gray and white. The bill becomes dusky orange with a dark tip instead of bright orange-red.
Royal terns also have black caps and orange bills in breeding plumage. However, royal terns have a heavier, thicker black bill compared to the elegant tern’s delicate orange and black bill. Royal terns also have more solid black coloration on the tip of the bill compared to the elegant tern’s black tip mainly on the upper mandible.
Forster’s terns have black caps that do not extend as far down the nape. Their bills are orange with a black tip but appear thinner and more delicate than those of royal and elegant terns. Forster’s terns also show a white forehead and eye-ring in breeding plumage, which is lacking in royal and elegant terns.
| Species | Breeding Plumage | Nonbreeding Plumage |
|---|---|---|
| Elegant Tern | Black cap, long forked tail, bright orange bill with black tip mainly on upper mandible | Mottled gray and white cap, dusky orange bill with dark tip |
| Royal Tern | Black cap, heavy thick black-tipped orange bill | Mottled gray and white cap, dusky orange bill with black tip |
| Forster’s Tern | Black cap not extending down nape, thin orange and black tipped bill, white forehead and eye-ring | Mostly white head, dusky orange and black tipped bill |
Voice
Elegant terns have a distinct, musical, two-syllable call sounding like “Kitti-kitti-kitti-wake”. Their calls are higher pitched and more nasal sounding than the lower, raspy calls of royal and Forster’s terns.
Behavior
Elegant terns feed mostly on small fish such as anchovies, sardines, and herring by plunge diving. They nest colonially on sandy or gravel beaches and saltmarsh islands, often alongside other tern species. Nests consist of small scrapes in the ground lined with materials like shells.
Look for elegant terns plunging steeply into the ocean to catch fish. They will also be seen roosting communally with other terns on beaches and jetties. In flight, watch for their long, pointed wings with slower, more graceful wingbeats compared to royal and Forster’s terns.
Range
Elegant terns breed along the Pacific Coast from southern California down to Chile. Their breeding range extends from 30°N to 35°S latitude.
In North America, the largest colonies are in Mexico. Further north, breeding colonies occur along the coast of California and Baja California.
In the nonbreeding season, elegant terns migrate down the west coast of the Americas, ranging as far south as Peru. Some nonbreeding birds also remain year-round on the Pacific Coast within the breeding range.
Royal terns have a similar breeding distribution, ranging along both coasts in the Americas from North Carolina to Mexico in the east and California to Chile in the west. Forster’s terns have a more widespread distribution, breeding in scattered colonies across North America.
Similar Species
* Royal Tern – Larger and bulkier with thicker black-tipped orange bill. Heavier wingbeats in flight. Lower pitched raspy call.
* Forster’s Tern – Smaller with whiter forehead and eye-ring in breeding plumage. More delicate orange and black tipped bill. Higher pitched call.
* Arctic Tern – Smaller tern with blood-red bill. Longer tail streamers. Breeds in northern latitudes.
* Sandwich Tern – Larger tern with yellow-tipped black bill. Shaggy crest. Hoarse ker-wik call.
* Black Skimmer – Very different with massive red and black bill, elongated lower mandible.
Fun Facts
* The elegant tern was first described by French naturalist Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot in 1817. Their scientific name Thalasseus elegans refers to the graceful terns of the sea.
* Elegant terns can see fish from over 50 feet above the ocean’s surface before plunge diving at speeds up to 30 mph to catch them!
* Courtship displays include aerial glides, flights, and loud calls to attract a mate. Pairs preen each other’s feathers and perform elaborate courtship feeding rituals.
* Predators such as falcons, gulls, ravens, and foxes may raid nesting colonies and eat eggs and chicks. Adults defend nests by dive bombing intruders.
* Conservation threats include human disturbance, habitat loss, pollution, and reduced fish stocks. Their coastal nesting habitat is at high risk from rising sea levels.
Conclusion
Elegant terns stand out with their delicate orange bills, spiked black caps, graceful flight, and musical calls. Their slender build, pointed wings, deeply forked tail, and plunge diving behavior are key identification clues. Compare size, bill shape, plumage, and voice to pick them out alongside similar terns. Watch for them along the Pacific Coast feeding aerially and swarming at breeding colonies. With a little practice, birders can readily identify these graceful, elegant terns.
