North American Bird Search Box
This search box can be used to find bird species using bird's english, french or latin name, or to identify bird by its 4 letter Alpha Code
Field Guide for all the Birds of North America
Forster's Tern
4 Letter (english names) Alpha Code: FOTE (1)
Sterne de Forster
Sterna forsteri
Information, images and range maps on over 1,000 birds of North America, including sub-species, vagrants, introduced birds and possibilities
Life, Habitat & Pictures of North American Terns
| B L | W W | W | Family | Latin Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13" 33cm | 31" 78.7cm | 6 oz 170.1g | Laridae | Sterna forsteri |
- Summer
- Year Around
- Winter
Forster's Tern can be distinguished from the Common Tern by its orange-coloured bill and its long barn swallow-like tail feathers. This tern species is found over bodies of freshwater. It nests in colonies across the North America prairies. It is not uncommon to see this tern dive into the water and rising with a fish impaled on its dagger-like bill.
References to Other Bird Sites:
Avibase - the world bird database This site provides the user with a complete list of bird species, broken down per country, or in the example of the US or Canada, per state and province. Here, bird species names are available in other languages, a great asset to be used as a translation of foreign bird names.
ABA - American Birding Association This site represents an organization that maintains official records of all birds species that have been proven to have been seen inside the perimeters of the North American Continent and the surrounding bodies of water. Regular revised versions are posted to keep the bird list current at all times. This is the list used by all serious birders over their lifetime. You may be aware of the movie called the "Big Year". It was with this list that all the competing birders used in an attempt to set a new record as to how many bird species that could be seen by an individual birder in one calendar year.
I hope you will take advantage of these suggested websites. I have used each of them, in one way or another, throughout the years in my quest to better identify and understand our fine feathered friends.