Royal Tern Images, Facts and Information:
Thalasseus maximus
- Royal Terns are large terns with long yellow to orange bills, black legs, very light gray backs, white underparts, short forked tails and in breeding plumage they have jet black crests.
- Royal Terns are migratory but some populations in southern North American, the Caribbean and northern South America are year round residents.
- Royal Terns are found in beaches, bays, offshore keys and islands and other coastal areas. They are rarely found inland.
- Royal Terns feed on small fish, crabs, squid and shrimp.
- Royal Terns lay 1 to 4 eggs which hatch in 20 to 31 days. Both sexes incubate and they are monogamous, colonial nesters.
- A group of Royal Terns can be called a “Highness” of terns.
- Royal Terns can live to be more than 30 years of age.
I hope you enjoy viewing my Royal Tern photos.
Royal Tern with prey being chased by immature Laughing and Herring Gulls
Title: Royal Tern with prey being chased by immature Laughing and Herring Gulls
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 4/24/2009
Herring and Laughing Gulls and a Royal Tern
Title: Herring and Laughing Gulls and a Royal Tern
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 4/24/2009
Breeding Plumage Royal Tern bathing
Title: Breeding Plumage Royal Tern bathing
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 4/12/2009
Royal Tern with wings up…
Title: Royal Tern with wings up…
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 4/12/2009
Bathing Royal Tern
Title: Bathing Royal Tern
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 4/12/2009
Royal Tern splashing and bathing
Title: Royal Tern splashing and bathing
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 4/12/2009
Royal Tern in breeding plumage
Title: Royal Tern in breeding plumage
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 4/5/2009
Royal Tern strutting during courtship behavior
Title: Royal Tern strutting during courtship behavior
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 4/5/2009
Preening Royal Tern in breeding plumage
Title: Preening Royal Tern in breeding plumage
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 4/5/2009
Royal Terns courting
Title: Royal Terns courting
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 3/20/2009
Royal Tern glowing in the rising sun
Title: Royal Tern glowing in the rising sun
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 2/13/2009
Foggy morning Royal Tern
Title: Foggy morning Royal Tern
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 1/11/2009
Royal Tern bathing in the waves
Title: Royal Tern bathing in the waves
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 1/3/2009
Royal Tern in flight over a flock of birds
Title: Royal Tern in flight over a flock of birds
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 1/3/2009
Royal Tern juvenile begging for food
Title: Royal Tern juvenile begging for food
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 10/10/2008
Juvenile Royal Tern “Feed Me” dance
Title: Juvenile Royal Tern “Feed Me” dance
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 10/10/2008
Adult Royal Tern shaking its feathers
Title: Adult Royal Tern shaking its feathers
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 10/10/2008
Royal Tern preening by the Gulf
Title: Royal Tern preening by the Gulf
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 10/10/2008
Preening adult Royal Tern
Title: Preening adult Royal Tern
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 10/10/2008
Shaking Royal Tern adult
Title: Shaking Royal Tern adult
Location: Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Florida
Date: 10/10/2008