BirdUp · Species
Roseate Tern
Sterna dougalliiMontagu, 1813
Updated
At a glance
The Roseate Tern is a medium-sized bird, about 31–38 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.
- Size
- 31–38 cm
- Origin
- Native
- Best seen
- Year-round
- Commonness
- Very common
01 · Identification
How to tell it apart
What does a Roseate Tern look like?
The Roseate Tern is a medium-sized bird, about 31–38 cm long and weighing 75–125 g.
The roseate tern is a species of tern in the family Laridae. The genus name Sterna is derived from Old English "stearn", "tern", and the specific dougallii refers to Scottish physician and collector Dr Peter McDougall (1777–1814). "Roseate" refers to the bird's pink breast in breeding plumage.
Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
03 · When
When to look
When can you see a Roseate Tern?
The Roseate Tern is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
05 · Behaviour
Habits and haunts
What does a Roseate Tern eat?
The Roseate Tern feeds on fish/invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or flocks.
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