Royal tern Images

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.

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