Caspian Tern - Ross Feldner The world’s largest tern is named after the Caspian Sea which is the planet’s largest inland body of water. Early ornithologists associated it with this body of water where it was common. Sporting sleek white, black and gray plumage and a bright orange dagger of a bill, this bird has an extensive breeding habitat covering most of the eastern half of the United States and the West Coast. It is at home near fresh or salt water. The Caspian Tern feeds on fish, which they dive for, hovering over the water and then plunging down. It eats large insects, eggs, and the young of other birds and rodents. It also swallows whole fish headfirst! When in their nesting grounds paired Caspian Terns fly in tandem to great heights during stunning courtship displays. They nest on open ground on islands and coasts. Their vocalization is described as a deep, harsh, heron-like scream "aaayayaum." | |
