Gull-billed Tern
(Sterna nilotica)

The Gull-billed Tern breeds in the area. It is fairly common in spring, summer, and fall, and rare in winter in the Gulf Coast region. Found in the Gulf and salt marshes, and on bays and beaches it is of low conservation concern.

(Photo by Dave Cagnolatti)

Caspian Tern
(Sterna caspia)

Almost as big as a gull, the Caspian Tern is the largest of the tern family and is fairly common all year on the Gulf Coast where it breeds.

(Photo by Dave Cagnolatti)

Forster's Tern
(Sterna forsteri)

Forster's Tern is an occasional breeder and is common in winter, spring, and fall along the Gulf Coast. It is fairly common in summer.  

(Photo by Dave Cagnolatti)

This relatively small gull has a rounded head, creating gentle expression.  Round body, short legs, and relatively broad but pointed wings create overall stocky appearance.  Laura Catterton and Dr. Bill Summerour found this beautiful white individual at Magnolia Landfill on 15 February 2005.  There are only about four or five records of this gull in Alabama.

Adult non-breeding plumage
(September - March)
Laughing gulls are common, permanent, breeding residents on the Alabama Gulf Coast. The name of the species comes from its laughing call note, "ha, ha, ha, ha, haah, haah, haah, haah," an excellent aid in identification.

Laughing Gull
(Larus atricilla)

Adult breeding plumage
(March - September)
This species is a frequent visitor to parking lots and parks. It often chases other waterbirds to steal food.

Juvenile first winter plumage
(September - April)
Ring-billed Gulls occur on the Alabama Gulf Coast every month of the year, but the species is uncommon to rare after the first of May. Fall migrants appear in numbers in October, and from then until spring the species is common to fairly common, particularly along the larger rivers on the coast.

Ring-billed Gull
(Larus delawarensis)

Adult nonbreeding plumage
(September - April)

Herring Gull
(Larus argentatus)

Juvenile first winter plumage
(September - April)

Herring Gulls occur on the Alabama Coast every month of the year, but the species is rare in the summer. Four years or more are required for the Herring Gull to attain complete adult plumage.

Third-winter plumage (March)

The adult has gray mantle; white head streaked with brown in winter; legs and feet pink; bill yellow with red spot. Third-winter plumage is like winter adult but with black smudge on the bill.

Bonaparte's Gull
(Larus philadelphia)

Adult non-breeding plumage (August - April)
The smallest of our regular gulls, Bonaparte's is common in winter.

Black Skimmer
(Rhynchops niger)

Crepuscular and partially nocturnal, it often begins foraging in late evening when waters are calmer and prey rises to the surface. It flies low and skims water with lower mandible to locate prey by touch, then snaps the bill shut.

 (photo by Kathy Hicks)     

Black Skimmer 
adult nonbreeding plumage (September- March)
(Rynchops niger)

Black Skimmer forages for small fishes mainly at night, flying over shallow water with its lower mandible slicing the surface.

(Photo by Dave Cagnolatti)

Royal Tern
(Sterna maxima)

Adult non-breeding plumage (June - March)
Royal Terns are common, permanent, breeding residents on the Alabama Gulf Coast. They are streamlined and sleek, with powerful, direct flight.

Sandwich Tern
(Sterna sandvicensis)

Adult Breeding plumage (March - August)
The Sandwich Tern is the only tern with a yellow-tipped black bill, a character that immediately distinguishes it from all other species.

(Photo by Jared Peyton)

Royal Terns are colonial nesters. Colonies are usually situated on islands where predators are scarce, and nests are nothing more than shallow scrapes densely packed. By laying their eggs at the same time (above), all the Royal Tern pairs reduce the chances of their eggs and young being eaten by predators, which have a greater choice of nests to prey upon.

Photos by Marlene Cashen
Gaillard Island, 27 May,2005

Forster's Tern
(Sterna forsteri)

Adult non-breeding plumage (August - February)
The dark eye-patch of non-breeding birds is distinctive.

Least Tern
(Sterna antillarum)

The Least Tern is found in the Gulf and on bays, beaches, rivers, lakes, and ponds. It is of moderate conservation concern.

(Photo by Dave Cagnolatti)

Least Tern
(Sterna antillarum)

Adult breeding plumage (March - August)
Our smallest tern. The length is nine inches and the weight is 1.5 ounces. Relatively long, very narrow 20 inch wings; short tail; long, slightly decurved, tapered bill.

Black Skimmer
(Rynchops niger)

Skimmers are unique among birds in having the lower half of the bill longer than the upper. This long-winged, ternlike bird has black upperparts, white cheeks and neck, red feet, and a red, black-tipped bill.