Thursday, December 17, 2015

ASIATIC GULL-BILLED TERN

Photographed at Stockyard Point, Victoria December 2015
737           ASIATIC GULL-BILLED TERN            Sterna affinis

Australia           (580)

This is currently a sub-species of the Gull-billed Tern. It is a vagrant to Australia, being a non-breeding summer migrant (Sept.-April) from Asia to n and e coast, s. to Hunter R. (NSW). It is smaller, greyer, short-legged; usually in non-breeding plumage.