The white-fronted tern (Sterna striata), also known as tara, sea swallow, black-billed tern, kahawai bird, southern tern, or swallow tail, was first described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1789. Gmelin based his description on the "striated tern" that had been described and illustrated in 1785 by the English ornithologist John Latham in his book A General Synopsis of Birds. The naturalist Joseph Banks had provided Latham with a drawing of the tern from New Zealand. The drawing had been made by William Wade Ellis from a specimen collected in 1777 off the southeast coast of New Zealand's North Island on James Cook's third voyage to the Pacific Ocean. The genus name Sterna comes from the Old English word for a black tern. The specific epithet is from Latin striatus meaning "striated". The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.

The species is most closely related to roseate tern (Sterna dougallii) and black-naped tern (Sterna sumatrana), and slightly less closely related to common tern (Sterna hirundo), South American tern (Sterna hirundinacea), Antarctic tern (Sterna vittata) and Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea).

Description

thumb|Sterna striata in flight with tiny fish in its beak

The white-fronted tern is an average-sized tern; its dimensions are in length, with a wingspan between ; the male weighs on average .

Breaking down their monochromatic colouring, the white-fronted tern's lightest features are its all-white body, tail and underwing, and along the east coast into Canterbury, Otago and Southland, where they can be seen year-round. Stewart Island also has flocks and breeding pairs throughout the year.

Behaviour and ecology

White-fronted terns have a reputation for being difficult to monitor and study due to their unpredictable nature. A male will fly in from sea with a fish delicately held in its bill; it will fly above groups of females and attempt to gain their attention by calling to them. They will lay 1–2 eggs and on rare occasions, 3. Numbers are falling due to predation by several introduced mammalian species.

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File:White-fronted Terns (36536505676).jpg|Flock of white-fronted terns foraging at sea

Image:White-fronted tern flying with fish in its beak.jpg|White-fronted tern flying with fish in its beak

File:White-fronted tern flying past with beak open.jpg|Adult in flight

File:White-Fronted Tern.jpg|Breeding adult with black cap and white band across top of beak

File:White fronted terns.NZ (19213771548).jpg|Group of white-fronted tern on beach

File:White-fronted terns (Sterna striata) at Takapuna.jpg|Small flock at rest

File:White-fronted tern flapping its wings as it lands.jpg|White-fronted tern flapping its wings as it lands

File:Small white-fronted tern chick calling for parent.jpg|Young chick calling for parent

File:White-fronted tern chick standing on rock.jpg|Juvenile

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References

  • White-fronted tern at eBird