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Pelagic Terns   Bridled Tern  Sterna anaethetus Sooty Tern  Sterna fuscata

Bridled Terns on July 2007 BBC Extreme Shelf Edge Pelagic by Steve Mirick. All photos on this page remain  the property of the photographer.

Coastal Terns
Most terns in our area  are seen along the coast and may be recorded on pelagic trips either as the boat leaves the coast or returns.  Common Terns are sometimes seen on Stellwagon Bank in large flocks.  Arctic Terns famous as long distance migrators; Arctic to Antarctica are seen also along the coast.  Terns with the gulls belong to the family Laridae. They do not drink sea water and most return to land every night.

Pelagic Terns
Two terns that breed on Carribean Islands or further south follow the Gulf Stream and thus may show up on offshore trips to the continental shelf edge. They are especially expected after strong hurricane winds.

Bridled Tern Sterna anaethetus

Other Names
Also known as the Brown-winged Tern.

Breeds
Breeds in colonies on islands.   In the Pacific: the Hawaiian Islands, Mexico, the Galapagos, Chile.  In the Atlantic in the Bahamas, West Indies, and off the African coast.  Also in the Indian Ocean. Does not breed on the Dry Tortugas.  It is usually seen  on boat trips to and from the island.

Distribution
Circumequatorial. distribution. . Adults disperse in the breeding areas.  Juveniles follow the gulf stream where a few are pushed as far north as Nova Scotia usually by hurricane winds. 

How To See
In our area take an offshore pelagic to the continental shelf edge south of  Cape Cod.  Bridled Terns were recorded and photographed on the August 2004 BBC shelf edge pelagic and on the 2007 July trip.

Behavior at Sea
The Bridled Tern likes to perch on floating debris as you can see in the following photographs.  They can also sit on the water.  Sooty Terns are reported not to sit on floating debris. Like the Sooty Tern it  does not plunge dive.

Two Bridled Terns photographed by Bruce Larson on the July 2007 BBC Extreme Shelf Edge Trip. A third tern was also seen first sitting on floating debris.

Jeremiah Trimble took these two photographs of the Bridled Tern seen on the August 2004 Shelf Edge trip.  Again the bird was first seen sitting on a floating log.

Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata

Breeds
The Sooty Tern breeds on the Dry Tortugas an island in the ABA area that is easily birded in April.  It also breeds in the Hawaiian Islands, west coast of Mexico, Galapagos Islands, west coast of Africa.

Most do not breed until the sixth to eight year having the longest period to maturity of any of the Laridae (Harrison 1983. Carribean juveniles remain off the west coast of Africa for several years until returning to breed.

Behavior
Does not plunge dive. Catches prey by swooping low over the water.   Rarely returns to land except for breeding.   Often circles high over the water and rarely sits on the water.  Not as likely to be sitting on floating debris.

How To See
Sooty Terns have not been seen on recent pelagic trips.  Look for them on the offshore continental shelf edge trips. You could be the first to see one.  Otherwise take a wonderful trip to the Dry Tortugas in April.
 

Adult Sooty Tern photographed on Eastern Island at Midway Atoll by Emmalee Tarry.