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March 31, 2023  |  By Matt Hamas

Royal Tern

Royal Tern Live

Royal Tern - IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

As the scientific name implies, royal terns are almost always found near the ocean and often on sandbars completely surrounded by water

The scientific name for this bird is “Thalasseus maximus”. “Thalasseus” in ancient Greek means “sea”, and “maximus” translates to “greatest” in Latin. As the scientific name implies, this bird is almost always found near the ocean and often on sandbars completely surrounded by water, like in this photograph. 

White PelicanBrown Pelican

This photo was taken near Sister Key located just south of St. Petersburg, Florida. Sister Key is one of several islands known collectively as Fort De Soto Park. Near Sister Key is a tidal sandbar that is a popular spot for birds at low tide. Many species of birds share the sandbar including white pelicans, brown pelicans, sea gulls, piping plovers, egrets, cormorants, and plenty of royal terns as you can see in the photo.

Royal terns typically feed in smaller protected bodies of saltwater, and rarely go far offshore to hunt. There are rare reported cases of royal terns hunting in fresh water. The typical diet for royal terns is mostly small fish, however they also east crustaceans (such as blue crabs), shrimp, and even squid.

Laughing Gull

Royal terns will usually just lay one egg. Typically, the hatchling leaves the nest after just 2-3 days, and can begin to fly at around 4-5 weeks! However, the young royal tern will stay with its parents for around eight months. The parents provide food to their offspring during this time.       

Fort De Soto Park is a bird photographer’s heaven. Some of the major islands are connected by bridges or causeways so you can drive, bike, or hike from island to island. Then there are some areas of the park you need a boat, kayak, or paddle board to get access to. A nice feature is that regardless of the wind direction, you can find a leeward area because of the shape of the islands. Not surprisingly, the area is a popular stop along the “Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail”.

Florida Birding Trail

Royal terns will usually just lay one egg

Did you know?

  • Cirrus clouds can form between 13,000 and 66,000 feet! This is significantly higher than cumulus clouds.
  • Cirrus clouds can cause sun dogs and sun halos to appear.
  • Earth isn’t the only planet that has cirrus clouds. They also form on Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune!
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Matt Hamas and Ben Ivers here. We are focused on fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of the environment. We endeavor to bring you a unique perspective of the wild. Our photos are being placed here for you to enjoy. Please feel free to download any of the photos for your personal use. We are currently seeking partners for printing and developing photos.

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