White-fronted Tern

White-fronted Terns feed in large flocks by plunge diving on shoals of smelt and pilchards which have been driven to the surface by larger fish and are easily caught. Like all terns they fly with their heads and bills pointing down to see their prey.

The White-fronted Tern is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

The White-fronted Tern (Sterna striata) is the most common tern of New Zealand. It rarely swims, apart from bathing, despite having webbed feet. The species is protected. White-fronted Terns feed in large flocks by plunge diving on shoals of smelt and pilchards which have been driven to the surface by larger fish and are easily caught. Like all terns they fly with their heads and bills pointing down to see their prey. More

Tern White-fronted Tern Black-fronted Tern at Muriwai Black-fronted Tern, Omarama, South Island More

Similar species - The White-fronted tern but the Black-fronted tern is smaller and greyer with no white band on forehead and has an orange bill. Range - Inland of east coasts of both islands south of Bay of Plenty but more common in south. Moves coastwards in winter. Status - Common. Where to see - Inland in summer. In winter in Cook Strait and coastal waters of North and South Islands south of East Cape. More

According to Guthrie Smith, the white-fronted tern, or sea swallow as he was apt to call it, is particular in regard to the ruffling of its plumage by wind. Each individual in the ternery sits facing the breeze. More

White-fronted Terns breed in large crowded colonies. More

White-fronted Tern is a common coastal species on both North and South Islands. It is almost endemic to New Zealand with only a few very small colonies on islets in the Bass Strait, northeast of Tasmania, being the only other breeding sites. Please click your browser's back button to return to the page that brought you here. All images are copyright Ray Wilson raywilsonphotography@googlemail. More

white-fronted terns by Joseph Wolf was published in the account of the 1839–43 voyage of the Erebus and Terror, led by James Clark Ross into the Ross Sea of Antarctica. On their way south the voyagers visited the Auckland Islands, where white-fronted terns are abundant. More

The white-fronted tern or tara (Sterna striata) is the most common tern living along New Zealand coasts, and on the Chatham and Auckland islands. They have a narrow white band between their black cap and bill. Their body and sharply forked tail are white, and their wings are pale grey. They are 42 centimetres long and weigh about 160 grams. A flock of white-fronted terns diving into the sea can be a sign that kahawai fish are close by. More

that none of the white-fronted terns show, and is a good feature to help with this identification. More