Large-billed Tern
A species of Large-billed Tern Scientific name : Phaetusa simplex Genus : Large-billed Tern
Large-billed Tern, A species of Large-billed Tern
Botanical name: Phaetusa simplex
Genus: Large-billed Tern
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Staphylococcus by Gabriela Sanabria , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Description
The large-billed tern (Phaetusa simplex) is a species of tern in the family Laridae. It belongs to the monotypic genus Phaetusa. It is found in most of South America (east of the Andes and north of the Pampas). It has occurred as a vagrant in Aruba, Bermuda, Cuba, Panama and the United States. Its natural habitats are rivers and freshwater lakes. These birds are rarely found in the UK or in Canada, however, they do appear to enjoy flying individually.
Size
36-38 cm (14-15 in)
Feeding Habits
Large-billed Tern primarily feeds on fish and insects, employing surface skimming and aerial dipping techniques. Adaptations include a large bill for capturing prey. This tern favors daylight hunting over bodies of water.
Habitat
Large-billed Tern predominantly inhabit freshwater and brackish environments. They are typically found along broad inland rivers and lakes. During their breeding season, they can be observed on beaches and sandbars, and they have been known to breed along coastal areas as well. When not breeding, large-billed Tern also frequent coastal mangroves, beaches, and estuaries, where these terns forage and roost. Their habitats span across a variety of wetland ecosystems in tropical and subtropical geographical regions.
Dite type
Piscivorous
General Info
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Photo By Staphylococcus by Gabriela Sanabria , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Shorebirds Family
Gulls Genus
Large-billed Tern Species
Large-billed Tern