TERNS are slender, gull-like birds with long, narrow, sharply pointed wings, and pointed bills. Flight is buoyant with bill pointed downward as they search for small fish or insects. Unlike gulls they hover and dive headfirst for fish. Also their tails are usually forked (rounded or square in gulls). Terns seldom swim whereas gulls often do. Most terns are whitish with black caps and in winter the black on the forehead becomes white. Sexes similar. Nest in colonies.
