Family Gulls, Terns, Skimmers (Laridae)
Least Concern
White-fronted Tern (Sterna striata)
Taxonomy
French: Sterne tara German: Weißstirn-Seeschwalbe Spanish: Charrán maorí
Taxonomy:
Sterna striata
J. F. Gmelin
, 1789,New Zealand
.
Subspecies and Distribution
S. s. incerta
Mathews, 1912 – Flinders I and Cape Barren I, off NE Tasmania.
S. s. striata
J. F. Gmelin, 1789 – North I, South I and Stewart I (New Zealand).
S. s. aucklandorum
Mathews, 1929 – Chatham Is and Auckland Is.
Winter visitor to Australia from S Queensland to Tasmania and W to South Australia.
Descriptive notes
39–42 cm. Crown black, with narrow white forehead and lores; upperparts pale grey, including long tail which extends beyond folded wingtips; underparts white, sometimes... read more
Voice
The main call is a high-pitched "siet"; a harsh "keark" or "keeahk" is given by birds... read more
Habitat
Coastal areas, nesting on rocky or sandy beaches and shingle islands in rivers, also on coastal... read more
Food and feeding
Almost exclusively fish; also shrimps. Feeds in surf zone or several kilometres out to sea, often in flocks. Plunge-dives from 7–10 m... read more
Breeding
Laying Oct–Dec. Most colonies contain 100–500 pairs, but solitary pairs reported at margin of range. Some colonies stable for... read more
Movements
Most remain in New Zealand in winter but some disperse northwards there. Some, mostly immatures,... read more
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). The great majority breed in New Zealand, where survey results from the 1990s suggested a total population of 12,000-15,000... read more
Genetic data#R indicate that present species and S. dougallii, S. sumatrana, S. hirundinacea, S. hirundo, S. paradisaea and S. vittata may form a monophyletic group, with S. forsteri and S. trudeaui possibly also part of this group. Validity of races requires study; species sometimes considered monotypic#R. Three subspecies currently recognized.