These van Rossem's gull-billed terns were photographed at the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge located in southern California.
They are a medium-sized migratory seabird that feed on a variety of small prey items, including crabs, lizards, insects, chicks of other bird species, and fish. They are also a ground-nesting species whose nests consist of shallow scrapes with pieces of rocks, shells, or fish bones. (Eric Kershner/USFWS)
Copyright and usage info: This image is a work of a National Science Foundation employee, taken or made during the course of the person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.
widespread inland, sw Europe to ne China; coastal China; coastal w North Atlantic and Caribbean; coastal s California and Mexico; coastal South America and inland nc Argentina
Nonbreeding Range Subregions
to subtropical and tropical coasts, rivers and lakes worldwide (except remote is.)
Africa (entire continent rather than south of Sahara)
AN
Antarctica
AO
Atlantic Ocean
AU
Australasia (Wallacea (Indonesian islands east of Wallace's line), New Guinea and its islands, Australia, New Zealand and its subantarctic islands, the Solomons, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu)
PAL
Eurasia (Europe, Asia from the Middle East through central Asia north of the Himalayas, Siberia and northern China to Japan)
IO
Indian Ocean
LA
Latin America (Middle and South America)
MA
Middle America (Mexico through Panama)
NA
North America (includes the Caribbean)
NO
Northern oceans
OR
Oriental Region (South Asia from Pakistan to Taiwan, plus Southeast Asia, the Philippines, and Greater Sundas)
