Terns

By Claudia Duckworth, PWC Board Member

Terns are members of a large Family of birds called Larids that also includes gulls, skuas, and jaegars.

There are about 40 species of tern and most spend their lives around water. Here, on the central coast of California, there are eight species that are seen regularly including Caspian, Royal, Elegant, and Forster's and less frequently, Common, Black, Arctic and Least. The Arctic Tern which is sometimes here in early fall, is known for its prodigious 25,000 mile migration from its wintering grounds in the Antarctic to its breeding grounds in the Arctic. The smallest among them, the Least Tern, an endangered species, is carefully monitored and protected while nesting on our beaches.

As this edition of the SLO Coast Journal goes to print, we have in residence at the Wildlife Clinic, an Elegant Tern. As you can see from the photograph, our veterinarian, Dr. Riggs, has made special accommodations for this uncommon patient. These beautiful, agile seabirds are summer and fall visitors to our area. With only five known nesting colonies along the coasts of California and Mexico, Elegant Terns are vulnerable to predation, loss of habitat and climate change. They are considered a species of special concern in California and designated as near threatened by some conservation groups.

During the winter and early spring, Elegant Terns can be found as far south as Chile and as far north as British Columbia.

Although related to gulls, Elegant Terns are more streamlined, nimble and graceful in flight. They hunt by hovering in one place over open water, then plunging to catch their prey. Our visitor's upper parts are light gray with a white belly and chest. The tern has bright black eyes, a long orange beak and he or she has a black cap with a shaggy crest looking a bit like a bad hair day. The wings are long and pointed, the tail is forked and he/she has black legs and unexpectedly tiny feet. Elegant terns are gregarious birds, nesting in large colonies and raising their chicks in crèches for warmth and protection. While in the group crèche, parent birds continue to feed their own young with both sexes caring for the typically single, precocial chick. After it fledges, the parents will continue to support the young tern for about 6 months while it develops its survival skills.

Our patient was brought to Pacific Wildlife Care with a broken wing. It is now recovering from the required surgery and we are hopeful the bird can be released in the near future.

A group of terns is called a cotillion which seems particularly appropriate since watching terns in flight is almost like watching a choreographed ballet. We are fortunate to have these lovely birds showing off their flight acrobatics each summer and fall. Enjoy!

As with all the injured and orphaned wildlife that is rescued by Pacific Wildlife Care, Dr. Riggs has used her knowledge of this bird's natural history to make it as comfortable as possible while it is in our care.

The bird will only eat live minnows which has necessitated many trips north to obtain the live fish and a special pool set-up with aerators to keep them healthy.

Special Enclosure with Sand Floor

Bin with Ramp Where the Elegant Tern is Expecting to Find Live Minnows.

Special Pool Setup to Keep Minnows

For more information on Pacific Wildlife Care, a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization,
or to volunteer or make a donation, go to the website: Pacific Wildlife Care

If you find an injured wild animal, call the PWC Hotline (805-543-9453).