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Topic Categories: Birding • Mystery Birds • Photography
Posted on: January 27, 2009 9:59 AM, by "GrrlScientist"
tags: mystery bird, identify this bird, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery birds] Caspian Tern, Sterna caspia, photographed the Quintana Beach and Jetty area, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 18 November 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200 1/1250s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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Comments
Well, it is obviously a tern.
I'm going to go for Common Tern (Sterna hirundo), citing the black-tipped, orange-red bill, faint black tint to wingtips, gray body with lighter underbelly and the distinctive mask. This bird doesn't have the silver-white primaries or the right mask shape of the Forster's Tern, and lacks the white forehead patch of a Least Tern (and feels too large, although there's no scale here).
Posted by: Erpentes | January 27, 2009 10:54 AM
Caspian?
Posted by: Sven DiMilo | January 27, 2009 10:57 AM
I believe that's a Caspian Tern, based on the "dark red bill with dusky tip" and relatively large amount of "dark under primaries" (Sibley).
Posted by: John Callender | January 27, 2009 10:58 AM
Can't see any bread, so it isn't a sandwich tern.
Posted by: Bob O'H | January 27, 2009 12:46 PM
What a beautiful photo of a Caspian Tern! The very heavy red-orange bill and black cap are a give away. Grrlscientist, could you please contact me directly about publishing one of your articles in a newsletter for Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge? Thanks.
Posted by: Sheila | January 27, 2009 2:48 PM
I'm going with the Caspian, also.
Posted by: Michelle | January 27, 2009 4:33 PM
Beautiful photo of a Caspian Tern- Heavy bill and dark underside of primaries are giveaways.
Posted by: Mac | January 27, 2009 6:22 PM
Based on the dark red with dark tip bill (and thicker, heavier bill) as well as the black cap and dark under the primaries I'd say Caspian Tern.
Posted by: Margie | January 27, 2009 7:57 PM
I'm going with Caspian Tern--big, red tern bill.
Posted by: Paulette | January 27, 2009 10:35 PM
One more vote for Caspian Tern. Dark under the primaries and dark red, dark-tipped bill are good clues to identification. So is the flight posture of the tern -- flying with the bill oriented downward as if it were to heavy for the head to hold in a horizontal position.
Posted by: Sharon Chester | January 28, 2009 2:33 PM