Description: A very large tern, in size greater than the Common Gull. The coloration is generally alike the one in common terns. The distinguishing features are the heavy head, massive red bill with a preculminate dark bar; the black cap on the nape is a tousled tuft. The legs are black, and the tail is not as clearly forked.
Habitat: They nest in colonies or – more seldom – as isolated couples, as a rule, on flat barren islets, often next to other terns and gulls. They feed mainly on fish, which they dive for, hovering and then plunging. The bird is listed in the Russian Red Book.
/ * The photos at lake.peipsi.org are cross-posted from commons.wikimedia.org and are used for familiarization purposes only. No commercial use of the photos is allowed. For more information about to use the photos see the originals on commons.wikimedia.org. /
