(Sterna nilotica)
13 - 15 inches

photograph © James F. Parnell

Status: State-listed as Species of Special Concern; proposed for listing as Threatened.

Identification: This medium-sized tern has a black cap, a stubby black bill and black legs . The mantle is gray, and the underparts are white. The species lacks a crest, and has a shallowly forked tail. Overall the appearance is of a pale, short-billed tern.

Nesting Habitat: Gull-billed Terns nest on barrier beaches, natural islands or shoals, and dredged-material islands. Colony substrate is usually sand or a mixture of sand and shell. Colony sites are usually devoid of vegetation or are very sparsely covered with low herbaceous plants.

Breeding Biology: Gull-billed Terns arrive in North Carolina between mid-April and early May. Courtship begins quickly, and by mid-May egg-laying is underway. If early nesting attempts fail, egg-laying may extend into July. Nests are shallow scrapes usually lined with broken shell fragments or sometimes plant material. The females lay two to four greenish to olive-colored eggs with numerous irregular brown blotches. The incubation period is 22 to 23 days and chicks fly at four to five weeks of age. North Carolina colony sites may be occupied from April to August.

Food: Unlike other tern species, Gull-billed Terns feed largely on terrestrial prey. Food consists primarily of insects and crustaceans, but occasionally may include reptiles, amphibians, birds and small rodents.

State Nesting Population: Declining, approximately 140 nesting pairs.

Major Threats: Human disturbances at nesting sites, including off-road vehicles on beaches, recreation activity on beaches, unconstrained dogs and feral cats.

Waterbirds:
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Last Revision 5/21/98