{"id":27572,"date":"2023-05-23T12:30:36","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T10:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/?p=146116"},"modified":"2023-05-23T12:35:37","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T10:35:37","slug":"roseate-tern-guide-identification-distribution-and-migration","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/roseate-tern-guide-identification-distribution-and-migration\/","title":{"rendered":"Roseate tern guide: identification, distribution and migration"},"content":{"rendered":"

The roseate tern is a very rare seabird in the UK, with 94 breeding pairs. Learn more about this bird, including what it looks like, migration and distribution with our guide to roseate terns <\/p>

By Dominic Couzens\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 23 May 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

You have to feel sorry for bird artists. So many of our birds lack exciting colours that you can forgive them when faced with a portrait of a roseate tern (Sterna dougallii<\/em>) \u2013 here, at last, is the chance to slap some pink on to this bird\u2019s breast and belly.<\/p>\n

The trouble is that, as in life, the roseate tern is subtle pink at best, and you are often hard-pressed to detect the tint at all, so don\u2019t be surprised if you struggle to pick this difficult species out.<\/p>\n

It is a very rare seabird, with 94 breeding pairs, placing it on the Red List of Conservation Concern.<\/p>\n

In this guide we take a closer look at the roseate tern, including what they look like, migration patterns, habitat and distribution.<\/p>\n

Interested in learning more about Britain\u2019s seabirds<\/a>? Check out our guides to puffins<\/a>, gannets<\/a> and auks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Terns of Britain<\/h4>\n

Arctic terns, common terns and little terns grace Britain\u2019s shores in the summers months. Learn how to identify them \u2013 and other tern species \u2013 with BBC Countryfile Magazine\u2019s guide to terns<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p><\/div>

\""Arctic\"<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section>

Roseate tern identification<\/h2>\n

The roseate tern has a subtle pink breast \u2013 so subtle that you are often hard-pressed to spot it at all. It is, in fact, much whiter in plumage than its two common relatives the common and Arctic terns. When at rest it has the longest tail streamers of them all.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are some good ways of detecting a roseate tern, and one is the very distinctive call, a disyllabic chewit<\/em>, like a short and gentle blow of a referee\u2019s whistle. It\u2019s quite easy to pick out, as long as you\u2019re in a place where roseate terns occur, and there aren\u2019t many of these.<\/p>\n

The flight shows much stiffer wingbeats than the other terns, and the roseate also has a habit of suddenly diving confidently into the water from normal flight, like a marathon runner grabbing water mid-run.<\/p>\n

\""Roseate\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Roseate tern adults and juveniles\/Credit: Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Roseate tern habitat and distribution<\/h2>\n

These birds are truly rare in Britain, mainly found on a few marine islands, and they have a strange world distribution, found very broadly but extraordinarily localised \u2013 places such as north-eastern North America, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, Australia, Japan, China, but with vast distances in between.<\/p>\n

Roseate tern migration<\/h2>\n

The roseate tern can be seen in the UK from May to September. In winter, \u2018our\u201d birds go to West Africa, not staying long after breeding in August.<\/p>\n

Roseate tern breeding<\/h2>\n

Breeding roseate terns are unusual for selecting nest sites with quite a bit of cover, such as vegetation or rocks.<\/p>\n

Seabirds of Britain<\/h4>\n

Discover some of the UK\u2019s most common types of seabird, where they live and the best places to see them with BBC Countryfile Magazine\u2018s guide to seabirds<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p><\/div>

\""Gannets\"<\/div><\/div> <\/div> <\/section> <\/body><\/html>\n
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