General
Roseate Tern: Small, pale waterbird with a black cap and pointed black bill with a red base. Back and wings pale grey and white with dark grey and black on leading edge of primaries. Underparts white with pale pink coloration on breast. Long, forked tail white. Orange legs and feet. Winter adults like summer birds but black on shoulder, black bill, and white front. Juveniles have shorter bill, shorter tail, and pink-grey legs and feet. Also more grey on the wings, fine streaks on the crown, and pale brown and black mottling on back.
Range and Habitat
Roseate Tern: Rare summer breeder in the UK & Ireland. Birds can be seen from late spring through summer. Breeding grounds are found in a few colonies on the east coasts of England and Scotland, coastal Wales, and in Ireland. Birds spend the winter at sea.
Breeding and Nesting
Roseate Tern: Monogamous. Breeding begins in mid-May. Both parents build nest, which is a scrape on sand or shingle on coastal beaches and islands. Female lays 1 to 3 eggs and incubates them for 21 to 26 days with help from male. Both parents feed young. Second clutch possible if first is lost.
Foraging and Feeding
Roseate Tern: By plunge-diving in the ocean it feeds mainly on fish.
Found along the sandy seacoasts in the summer while it winters in the open ocean. Occasionally this bird will steal fish from other seabirds.
Vocalisation
Roseate Tern: Call is soft "chi-weep"; alarm signal is high clear "keer" or drawn-out "zra-ap" (like ripping cloth). Attack is "zhrrraaaaach."
Similar Species
Roseate Tern: Common Tern has a shorter tail, cleaner head cap, slightly shorter bill and has darker grey upperparts. Sandwich Tern is light grey also, but shows shaggy black crest and is heavier built.