Birds · Charadriiformes · Laridae
Sooty Tern
Onychoprion fuscatus
Least Concern
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk.
The sooty tern is a tropical seabird that spends years on the wing without ever settling on the water. Its plumage is not waterproof, so it cannot rest afloat like a gull: after leaving the colony, the juveniles remain in continuous flight over the ocean for several years, feeding on fish and squid that they catch without getting properly wet. It breeds in enormous colonies on tropical islands.
Weight
150 g – 240 g
Size
36 cm – 45 cm
Life expectancy
32 years
