Birds · Charadriiformes · Laridae

Sooty Tern

Onychoprion fuscatus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

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

Lifespan

32 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanIslandsCarnivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Ocean Islands

76countries 17parks 2dive sites19same family

Fun facts

Juveniles can spend three to five years in practically continuous flight over the ocean, settling neither on water nor on land: they sleep on the wing and only come down when they return to breed.
Its tropical colonies are deafening and its ceaseless call has earned it the English nickname wideawake, the one that keeps you up.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: The tropical and subtropical open sea of every ocean; it breeds on predator-free islands and islets
Sexual maturity: 4 years
Gestation / incubation: 28 days
Litter / clutch size: 1

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/