Subspecies:torresii recorded in Britain (of 3 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
36 cm
Wingspan:
98 cm
Weight:
-
Scientific name from:
Old English: stearn=a tern
and after Bengal, India
World Distribution:
Africa, S Asia, Australasia
Habitat:
Seacoasts
Diet:
Small fish and crustaceans, either by plunge-diving or from surface
TitBit:
Usually a denizen of tropical areas, one Lesser Crested Tern ("Elsie") spent 14 years in the Sandwich Tern colony on the Farne Is from 1983-97, she eventually mated with a Sandwich Tern and reared four young, one of which went on to breed on the Farnes
Records and Distribution
First Record:
Anglesey, 1982
(Hurford, C. 1989. British Birds 82:396-397)
Total Number of Records (1958-2004):
8
Summary of Records by Year
Most Likely to Occur in:
Too few records
Most Recent County Records:
Scotland:
Borders
(1987),
Lothian
(1987),
North-east England:
Cleveland
(1995),
Durham
,
Northumberland
(1997),
East Yorkshire
(1994),
North Yorkshire
(1993),
These data should be cited as: Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.22, Oct 2008). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)
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Other Names
