Credit: Kelly Colgan Azar
North American field guide
Royal Tern
Thalasseus maximus
Also known as:Sterna maxima
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Identification
Field notes
51 cm (20") Fairly common. Strictly a salt water tern. Deep forked tail. Similar to Caspian Tern but Royal has a complete black cap only early in summer otherwise a white forehead. Also Caspian's bill is a definite red whereas Royal's is more orange.
Song: "kee-rer" and "kaak".
Watch and learn
Videos
Royal Tern Closeup
Credit: Mark VanceRoyal tern
Credit: Edgy WagyWhere it lives
Distribution maps
Source legend · original intervals
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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence
Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant · 1 rule
These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.
Royal Tern
1 ruleRule 1 13 criteria · confidence 4
- What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?
- Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
- Forked · Unknown
- What colour was the BACK ?
- Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
- What colour was the THROAT ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
- What colour was the BILL ?
- Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the BILL ?
- Straight and thick · Unknown
- What LENGTH was the BILL ?
- Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
- What colour were the EYES ?
- Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
- What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized · Goose-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Gull-like, or a Seabird
- WHERE was the bird seen ?
- Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States