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Description
White-fronted terns (Sterna striata) are members of the tern and gull family. They have white bodies, light gray wings and white forked tails. Their heads are black with a narrow white band just before the bill. They weigh between 5 and 6 lbs. and are about 16 1/2 inches long. White-fronted terns can live up to 26 years and lay spotted, light colored green-blue to brown eggs on beaches, rocks or the banks of New Zealand or islands in the Bass Strait.
Feeding
These birds feed mostly along the shore or in bays on small fish, often plunging into the waves in a steep dive as they pursue their prey. Kahawai fish chase smaller fish such as smelt and pilchards to the surface, where the terns feed in large groups. Sometimes they feed on shrimp in the surf or miles out into the sea; feeding far out in the ocean is most common during the winter months.
Habitat
Large flocks of white-fronted terns migrate in the fall to Australia, returning to New Zealand and other small islands in the Bass Strait from October to January to breed. They nest on cliffs, rocks or beaches on the coast or on islands along rivers, including Stewart, Chatham, Auckland and Snares Islands near New Zealand and Flinders and Cape Barren Island near Tasmania. White-fronted terns prefer areas with sandy or rocky beaches, coastal cliffs, sandbars, inshore waters and offshore islands.
Dangers
Birdlife International estimates a population of 1.5 million mature white-fronted terns, so they are not considered endangered or threatened (as of 2011). However, smaller populations of kahawai fish could reduce the birds' food supply and several animals prey on white-fronted terns, including hedgehogs, dogs, rats and stoats, which are also known as short-tailed weasels or ermine. Skuas, which are aggressive seabirds that attack and steal food from other birds, are also a threat to white-fronted terns. Beach vehicles are a danger to the birds and their nests.