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To the Beauty of Birds

The White-fronted Tern Sterna striata is the most common tern of New Zealand. It rarely swims, apart from bathing, despite having webbed feet. It is characterized by a black cap separated from the bill by a white forehead.
White-fronted Terns feed in large flocks by plunge diving on shoals of smelt and pilchards which have been driven to the surface by larger fish and are easily caught. Like all terns they fly with their heads and bills pointing down to see their prey.
Breeding is between October and January in large colonies on rocky cliffs and offshore islands. It is a protected species.
Photos 5471 – 5497 were taken at the Gannet Colony, Muriwai Beach, NZ.
Photos 9135 to 9146 were taken on the pelagic trip out of Kaikoura, NZ on the South Island.

White-fronted Tern

White-fronted Tern 5497

White-fronted Tern 9143

White-fronted Tern 9135

White-fronted Tern 9146

White-fronted Tern 5471

White-fronted Tern 5483

White-fronted Tern B 0793

White-fronted Terns & Pancake Rocks B 552