MCTX 14 Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Is it possible to identify what type of small tern or terns are the smallest birds in these pictures? I know there were some larger birds like skimmers, Caspian terns, and laughing gulls on this mud flat, but I was not sure about the type of small terns. Thanks for your suggestions as always! It is from the Texas coast (Willacy County) on Saturday. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Birding Boy 2,290 Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 I'd say Forster's Tern, those are probably most likely at your location. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AlexHenry 1,821 Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Yes, Forster’s - note the isolated dark “ear muff” on winter-plumaged birds. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tony Leukering 3,370 Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 It's still very early March, so Forster's is the only real option. 1 -- Thankfully, it looks exactly like a basic-plumaged adult Forster's. 2 -- The extensively whitish primaries rule out anything but Forster's and species that really would not be on the TX coast in early March, and the face pattern rules those out, except for that bird with the half-hood. However, it's the same size as the obvious Forster's Terns, so must be a FOTE that has begun its prealternate molt. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MCTX 14 Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 Many thanks! In the second picture where the Forster's tern is standing next to another tern with the red/black bill, is the red/black billed tern a different species or just a different age/plumage of Forster's? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
floraphile 531 Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 (edited) 49 minutes ago, MCTX said: Many thanks! In the second picture where the Forster's tern is standing next to another tern with the red/black bill, is the red/black billed tern a different species or just a different age/plumage of Forster's? Adult (breeding) Forster's have a 2-toned (orange with dark tip) bill while the immatures have all-black bills. I think all of the 4 terns in foreground of the last photo are Forster's--one adult coming into breeding plumage (I think that is what @Tony Leukeringis describing) and the remainder immatures. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Forsters_Tern/id Edited March 3 by floraphile typo 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MCTX 14 Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 Got it. Thanks. Not sure how I missed that the first time. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
floraphile 531 Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 3 minutes ago, MCTX said: Got it. Thanks. Not sure how I missed that the first time. I should have said non-breeding (all-grey) rather than immatures. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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