White-fronted Tern

White-fronted terns are described as an average-sized bird, their dimensions are 35–43 cm (14–17 in) in length, with a wingspan that is between 79 and 82 cm (31 and 32 in) and weighing on average 130 g (4.6 oz). Females are marginally smaller, but it is difficult to determine when observing them in the wild. Breaking down their monochromatic colouring, the white-fronted terns lightest features are its all-white body, tail and underwing. With their upper wings taking on a light silvery grey hue. Through the breeding season there can be a faint pink colouration on the breast, but it is not always visible. The darkest features consist of their beak, black cap, eyes, feet and the shadowing on the outermost edge of the wingtips. The long ebony like beak is slender and comes to a sharp point that dulls in colour at the tip. It meets at a head covered with a jet-black cap that varies in distance from the crown to the beak, while never joining leaving a white band across the lower forehead. The cap continues over the crown and finishes at the nape, inky black round eyes sit within the cap. The legs are stumpy with a deep burgundy black tone. A defining feature of the white-fronted tern is their forked tail, that is recognisable when in flight and commonly draw comparisons with a swallow's tail. In the breeding season, the outermost feathers of the tail lengthen, exaggerating the already profoundly forked tail. The black cap of non-breeding adults' retreats towards the top of the forehead and above the eyes, while at the same time losing some of its intensity. Immature white-fronted terns appear similar but have speckles of white through the cap. Along with slight colouration through the wings and tail, which appear as a brownish cream. While the juvenile's plumage makes them very pronounced with flickers of light to dark greys and warm milky browns in the upper wing, back, and mantle. The cap is incomplete and mottled while having dark black markings at front and back of eyes.