The Sooty Tern is one of the most abundant seabirds in the world but is highly oceanic, spending years at sea without landing — it cannot waterproof its feathers and must remain airborne when over ocean. It breeds in enormous colonies on tropical islands, including the Dry Tortugas in Florida. The black back and white underparts with a white forehead are distinctive.
Best time to see a Sooty Tern
The best time to see a Sooty Tern is April–July, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 878 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Sooty Tern? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Sooty Tern sightings near you
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