Species:

Pygmy Cormorant (Microcarbo pygmaeus)

Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii)

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Length (cm):
45-55
33-38
Wingspan (cm):
45-55
72-80
Weight (gram):
565-870
92-133
Size group:
Crow-size
Crow-size
Main Texts:
Appearance:

Only about half the size of Great Cormorant.Diagnostic profile with long tail and short, thick neck. Steep forehead and short, dark bill. Adult breeding with fine white speckles on chest and neck. Immatures with varying degree of white breast or underparts. Bare skin in gular area only faintly yellow of pinkish. Flight usually low with rapid wingbeats and interspersed glides (often recalling coot). Perches upright.

Sound:

Mostly vocal at breeding ground. Short, nasal croaking sounds in series. Often alternating between deep and high note.

Contact call:

Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file


Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Andre et Odile BOUCHER, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:doctor_forester, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Differs from Common and Arctic Tern by; noticably shorter wings, longer streamers, much paler grey upperparts, pure white underparts (faint rosy wash not very conspicuous), black bill (red base in breeding birds), dark outer primaries and no dark edge to inner primaries. Amount of red in bill increases as breeding season progresses, but also varies geographically. Wingbeats shallower and much quicker than in Common and Arctic Tern. Fishes with characteristic diagonal dives. Despite the long streamers, the birds appear short-tailed in flight, but head and bill are long and slender. The pale plumage, dark bill and giss recalls a small Sandwich Tern. Adult winter plumage with all dark bill and white forehead. Juveniles resembles juvenile Sandwich Terns, with more complete dark cap than Arctic and Common, and much more contrasting markings on back (especially to wings).

Sound:

Extremely harsh calls. Like mix of Caspian and Arctic Tern. Very hard and raspy "kreeeet", harder and higher pitched than Caspian Tern, but equally harsh. Other calls include more Arctic/Common tern-like short "kek", and similar.

Contact call:

Error loading Flash for sound!
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:USFWS/Southeast, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Werner Witte, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Anita363, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Mike Prince, Licence,Link.

Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Auks/Cormorants
Silhouette
Gull-like
Silhouette
Several different images of the species
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Several different sounds of the species
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file