Royal Tern

Royal Tern - IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Some of the species of shorebirds that could be seen there, included skimmers, willets, ibis, cranes, gulls, terns, sandpipers, and more

I had never seen so many birds in my life when I took the photo of this royal tern. My wife and I were staying on Longboat Key in Florida, just off the coast of Sarasota. Longboat Key is known for its massive stretch of uninterrupted beach on a north-to-south island. We were staying at the southernmost point of this island, which seemed to be a meeting place for many of the shorebirds of the Gulf. Some of the species of shorebirds that could be seen there, included skimmers, willets, ibis, cranes, gulls, terns, sandpipers, and more.

Herring Gull

The royal tern belongs to the family of birds called Laridae. Its scientific name is Thalasseus maximus. It can be found throughout the Americas and has occasionally been identified in Europe. The royal tern is a large tern. There's only one other species of tern that is larger than it, the Caspian tern. They have a wingspan of up to 51 inches for both sexes. The bill-to-tail length can be as long as 20 inches, and they weigh as much as 18 ounces.

Royal terns have an orange-red bill, pale silvery-gray upperparts, and white underparts. The legs of the royal tern are black. The crown of their head is black with an erectable crest. The crest is only black during the spring courtship season and the start of the breeding season. During early summer into late winter, the black crest becomes first patchy and then fully white on the forehead and upper crown.

Great Egret

These birds nest on island beaches or on isolated beaches that have limited predators. They only lay one or two eggs in a small scrape on the ground. The eggs incubate for 25 to 30 days. After two weeks, they'll leave their scrape and join other chicks in a group, which is called a "crèche." Their parents will feed them while they are in the crèche. The parents can recognize their offspring by their voice and appearance. After about a month, they will begin to fly, although they will remain dependent on their parents for food and protection until they are about five to eight months old.