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Onychoprion fuscatus Sooty Tern Tara MH
f.LARIDAE Gulls sf.Sterninae
Onychoprion fuscatus Sooty Tern Tara MH
f.LARIDAE Gulls sf.Sterninae
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Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes
    Intl. NamesSooty Tern EN   Egg Bird EN   Whale Bird EN   Wideawake Tern EN   Russseeschwalbe DE
    Local NamesTalaTNs  TaraTNw,MH,RK  ĀliPK,NS 
    Pacific NamesNo Content
    Sci. NamesOnychoprion fuscatus (accepted name) [comb. per Bridge et al. 2005], Sterna fuscata
    High Tax. Eng.k.Animals, p.Vertebrates, c.Birds, f.Gulls - Bird
    High Tax. Latink.ANIMALIA, p.CHORDATA, sp.GNATHOSTOMATA, spc.TETRAPODA, c.AVES, sc.NEOGNATHAE, o.Charadriiformes, f.LARIDAE, s.Sterninae
    Natl. PresencePresentOceanicP?
    Sth. PresenceRR-MG-AT-MK-MT-AK-PL-MN-TK-
    Nth. PresenceTN++++MH-RK-PK++ VNS-SWP
    VouchersPK2004  
    Local OriginNative; Resident
    Global RangeNo Content
    HabitatLand and Aquatic; Marine; Oceanic [Pelagic, nest on Land]
    ThreatenedNo Content
    InvasivenessNo Content
    BiosecurityNo Content
    Medical StatusNo Content
    Harmful StatusNo Content
    UsesFlesh food
    IdentificationA large tern 33-36cm long with an 82-94cm wingspan.The wings and deeply forked tail are long. It has dark black underparts and white underparts. It has black legs and bill. The average life span is 32 years. Juvenile sooty terns are scaly grey above and below. The call is a loud piercing ker-wack or kvaark.
    Similar SpeciesNo Content
    Interest NoteSooty terns breed in colonies on rocky or coral islands. It more...nests in a ground scrape or hole and lays a single egg, typically in the afternoon. It feeds by picking fish from the surface in marine environments, often in large flocks and rarely comes to land except to breed, and can stay out to sea for 3 to 10 years. This bird is migratory and dispersive, wintering more widely through the tropic oceans.

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Multimedia & Other Resources

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    speciesid 8805
    Adult in flight
    speciesid 8805
    Adult
    speciesid 8805
    Nestling in nesting ground
    speciesid 8805
    Juvenile stage
    speciesid 8805
    Birds in flight
    speciesid 8805
    Similar species: 5 different Terns

Vernacular Names

Scientific Names and Taxonomy

National Distribution & Vouchers

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

no data available

Threatened

no data available

Invasive/Pest Status

no data available

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2026) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2026.03.23 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
Please refer to our use policy.



speciesid 8805

Adult in flight - Gerald McCormack

speciesid 8805

Adult - Kiribati, Line Islands - Gerald McCormack

Audio: Call (McPherson coll.) - thru Les McPherson

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speciesid 8805
Onychoprion fuscatus
Sooty Tern
Tara MH
LARIDAE

5BD061b_Ster-fusc_GMcCormack1_TXz.jpg// 5BD061b_Ster-fusc_GMcCormack1_MXq-FS.jpg// {Onychoprion fuscatus} // Sooty Tern// Tara ^^MH¬¬// LARIDAE//



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