Sterna fuscata (GTM Research Reserve Bird Guide)

Sterna fuscata

Onychoprion fuscatus

Summary ⁷

The Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus) (formerly Sterna fuscata), is a seabird of the tern family (Sternidae). It is a bird of the tropical oceans, breeding on islands throughout the equatorial zone. Colloquially, it is known as the Wideawake Tern or just wideawake. This refers to the incessant calls produced by a colony of these birds, as does the Hawaiian name ʻewa ʻewa which roughly means "cacophony". In most of Polynesia its name is manutara or similar...

General description ⁸

The wings and deeply forked tail are long, and it has dark grey upperparts and white underparts. It has black legs and bill. Juvenile Sooty Terns are scaly grey above and below. The Sooty Tern is unlikely to be confused with any tern apart from the similarly dark-backed but smaller Bridled Tern (O. anaethetus). It is darker-backed than that species, and has a broader white forehead and no pale neck collar. Bill and legs black, iris dark brown. Non-breeding adult has variable white feather with fringes above. The call is a loud piercing ker-wack-a-wack or kvaark.