Main content

White Tern

Sir David Attenborough presents the widespread marine species, the white tern.

Tweet of the Day is the voice of birds and our relationship with them, from around the world.

Sir David Attenborough presents the widespread marine species, the white tern. Also known as fairy terns or angel terns, these are very slender, long-winged birds, brilliant white except for a black, slightly-upturned bill, dark eyes and very short blue-grey legs. In flight, their wings appear almost translucent. For such a delicate-looking bird, they have rather harsh calls. Unusually they lay their eggs on a bare branch. The female tern selects a small groove in the bark or on the leaf-stalks of palms where her single egg will be most secure. Here, on its tropical tightrope, the egg is safer from ground predators like rats and because there's no nesting material, there's less chance of parasites.

Producer : Andrew Dawes

Available now

2 minutes

Last on

Tue 3 Jan 2023 05:58

White Tern (Gygis alba)

Webpage image courtesy of Dave Watts / naturepl.com.

NPL Ref Β© Dave Watts / naturepl.com.

Broadcasts

  • New Year's Day 2015 05:58
  • Wed 2 Dec 2015 05:58
  • Fri 12 Oct 2018 05:58
  • Thu 10 Sep 2020 05:58
  • Tue 3 Jan 2023 05:58

Podcast: Planet Puffin

Podcast: Planet Puffin

Exploring all things puffin - the silly and the serious, the scientific and the cultural.

Try this new podcast

Five stories of birds and birdsong are told by the people inspired by them.

Podcast