Roseate tern
A pink-breasted tern with a distinctive call and kleptoparasitic habits.
The roseate tern (Sterna dougallii) is a species of tern in the family Laridae, named for the pinkish breast of adults in breeding plumage. It is a small to medium-sized seabird that feeds by plunge-diving for fish and is notable for its long, flexible tail streamers and distinctive call. The species has declined in parts of its range but has responded well to conservation measures such as nestbox provision.
- scientific_name
- Sterna dougallii
- family
- Laridae
- length
- 33–36 cm
- wingspan
- 67–76 cm
- conservation_status
- Threatened (Canada), Endangered (northeastern U.S.), Threatened (Caribbean U.S.)
- notable_subspecies
- S. d. dougallii, S. d. arideensis, S. d. gracilis
Lore & Background
English naturalist George Montagu described the roseate tern in 1813. Genetically, it is most closely related to the white-fronted tern, with their common ancestor a sister lineage to the black-naped tern. The species has several geographical subspecies, differing mainly in bill colour and minor plumage details. The nominate subspecies breeds on Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America, wintering south to the Caribbean and west Africa. Tropical forms have more red on the bill, and the long-billed, short-winged S. d. gracilis breeds in Australia and New Caledonia. Some authors suggest retaining only three subspecies.
Reader's Guide
The roseate tern is significant as one of the UK's rarest breeding seabirds and as a species that has benefited from targeted conservation. Its European population is concentrated at Rockabill Island, Ireland, which held about 1200 pairs. The provision of nestboxes has dramatically increased breeding productivity, as seen at Coquet Island, UK, where the population rose from 25 pairs in 1997 to 154 pairs in 2022. The species is protected under the UK's Biodiversity Action Plan and the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds. Threats include predation by large gulls, historical hunting for plumes, and global warming altering the distribution of its fish prey. Its kleptoparasitic behavior—stealing fish from puffins—is unusual among terns and aids feeding in bad weather.
Did You Know?
- The roseate tern's specific name dougallii honors Scottish physician and collector Dr. Peter McDougall (1777–1814).
- Around 12% of nests at Bird Island were attended by female-female pairs between 1970 and 1995.
- The roseate tern sometimes steals fish from puffins, a behavior known as kleptoparasitism.
- The largest European colony, at Rockabill Island, Ireland, held 1213 pairs in 2013.
More in Birds of the Indian Ocean 1-24
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