Roseate Tern

Sternula balaenarum

The Roseate Tern (Sternula balaenarum) is a graceful seabird with a slender body, long tail streamers, and a black cap during the breeding season. This species is known for its delicate pink coloration on the underparts, which gives it its name. Roseate Terns are highly migratory, traveling long distances between their breeding grounds in temperate and tropical regions and their wintering areas in the southern hemisphere. They are often found nesting in colonies on sandy beaches, barrier islands, and coastal marshes. Roseate Terns primarily feed on small fish, which they catch by plunge-diving into the water. Threats to this species include habitat loss, disturbance at nesting sites, and predation by introduced species.

Habitat: Coastal areas and islands