Species:

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)

Yelkouan Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan)

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Length (cm):
47-54
30-36
Wingspan (cm):
130-145
30-36
Weight (gram):
500-750
330-485
Size group:
Crow-size
Crow-size
Main Texts:
Appearance:

Very large tern, with deep, dagger-like, blood-red bill with dark tip. Large, black cap reaching well below the eyes. Grey upperparts and white underparts. Rather short tail. Outer primaries distinctly darker than the rest of upperwing, and outer underwing almost black. Unmistakable from the size alone, and leaves a gull-like impression, lacking the elegance of smaller terns. Immatures with paler bill and white forehead (as in adult winter), and markedly speckled back. Hovers and dives. Often rests on the surface, feeding like a gull.

Sound:

Easily recognized by its very harsh calls. Sometimes likened to the sound of a plate of steel being dragged across a concrete floor. Similar in harshness to Grey Heron, but more drawn, with an accented middle; "Kraaeeet", or with a double syllable start "ka-ha-kraaaeet". Immature birds begs with a penetrating, sharp whistle.

Contact call:

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See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

CC-photo:lgooch, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Muchaxo, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:ajmatthehiddenhouse, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

This species is UNPUBLISHED. Description is not yet completed. You can help give priority to this or other species by voting here.

Sound:

Distribution:

IUCN Redlist Map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

Similar species (image):
Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Gull-like
Silhouette
Gull-like
Silhouette
Several different images of the species
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Several different sounds of the species