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PAULA SHARP
PHOTOGRAPHY
All photos © Copyright 2014-2018 Paula Sharp.
FLORIDA SHORE BIRDS
of the Saint Augustine Area
References
"Birds of North America online." Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Jan. 2, 2018. ,https://birdsna.org/Species-Account/bna/home>
Kale, Herbert W., II, and Davis S. Maehr, FLorida's Birds: A Handbook and Reference. Sarasota, Florida: Pineapple Press, 1990.
9 inches.
Habitat:
Season:
Food:
Behavior:
Royal Tern (Sterna maxima)
Description: 20 inches. White black and gray with black cap, yellow-orange bill and black legs. Breeding bird has black crest and cap and red-orange bill. Nonbreeding bird has a white forehead.
Habitat: Open saltwater; saltwater beaches; lagoons and inlets.
Season: Yearlong.
Food: fish, shrimp, crabs
Behavior: Royal terns feed alone or in groups. When fishing, they dive into water from as high as thirty feet. They make shorter dives when feeding on shellfish.
Least Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Description: 9 inches. Black, gray and white with black cap and yellow-orange bill with black tip; and orange legs. Immature bird has a brown back, black nape and black at the bend of the wing.
Habitat: Salt and freshwater marshes; coastal beaches; open saltwater; agricultural areas.
Season: April-Sept.
Food:
Behavior:
Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)
Description: 14 inches. Mostly white and pale gray, with black patches over the eyes, a black bill and orange legs (winter).
Habitat: Salt and freshwater marshes; coastal beaches; open saltwater; agricultural areas.
Season: Yearlong
Food:
Behavior:
Royal Tern
Least Tern
Forster's Tern
Ring-billled gull (adult)
Laughing gull (winter adult)
Royal Tern
Least Tern
Forster's Tern
Ring-billled gull (first winter)
Laughing gull (winter adult)
Black Skimmer
Black Skimmer
Black Skimmer
Black Skimmer
Black Skimmer
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