The Royal Tern is a large, handsome tern of coastal areas with an orange-red bill and a shaggy black crest that recedes to show a white forehead outside of breeding season. It nests in enormous, dense colonies and is notably gregarious, often roosting in tight flocks on beaches and sandbars. Parents identify their chicks among thousands of others primarily by voice.
Best time to see a Royal Tern
The best time to see a Royal Tern is January–July, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 29,315 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Royal Tern? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Royal Tern sightings near you
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