Royal Tern

Status Five records. The first was a female taken on Brier Island by Wickerson Lent on 1 October 1958 following a heavy gale which had lashed the coast a few days earlier. He collected another there on 13 September 1960 from a flock of four that appeared about four hours after hurricane "Donna" struck Digby Neck. Both specimens were presented to the Nova Scotia Museum. The third occurrence was reported in the aftermath of hurricane "Gladys" by Eric Mills, who saw three on 22 October 1968 "hurrying south" past Chebucto Head, Halifax County. Five birds on Sable Island were brought by storm-force winds on 16 August 1971 (D. Welsh). One at Three Fathom Harbour, Halifax County, on 20 July 1979 (J. Kearney, E.L. Mills) evidently was not associated with a tropical storm.

Remarks This large tern is very similar to the Caspian Tern (see Remarks for that species). It breeds from the Caribbean north to Maryland, and in western Mexico and western Africa.