# Sandwich Tern (*Thalasseus sandvicensis*) The Sandwich Tern is a beautiful bird with a long, pointed beak and striking black cap on its head. They love to fish and can often be seen diving into the water to catch their meals. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Sandwich Tern](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/2020-07-18_Thalasseus_sandvicensis%252C_St_Marys_Island%252C_Northumberland_05.jpg&width=800) Photo: MPF, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2020-07-18_Thalasseus_sandvicensis%252C_St_Marys_Island%252C_Northumberland_05.jpg) ## Appearance The Sandwich Tern is a medium-sized seabird with a slender body and elegant flight. It has a black cap, white underparts, grey upperparts, and a distinctive long black bill tipped with yellow. Its pointed wings and forked tail give it a sleek appearance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Laridae - **Genus:** Thalasseus ## Interesting facts - A single Sandwich Tern can live for over 30 years, flying countless miles! - Some Sandwich Terns travel over 6,000 miles to find warmer winter homes! - They often choose to nest on sandy beaches, sometimes even tiny, isolated islands! - They perform amazing aerial courtship dances high in the sky to find a mate! ## Special abilities - **Expert Plunge-Diver:** Sandwich Terns can dive headfirst into water because of their streamlined bodies, helping them snatch fish. - **Long-Distance Navigator:** Sandwich Terns have incredible stamina and navigational skills that help them migrate thousands of kilometers. - **Precision Bill:** Sandwich Terns have a long, pointed bill with a sharp tip that helps them grasp slippery fish with precision. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 37-43 cm - **Wingspan:** 85-97 cm - **Weight:** 0.18-0.3 kg - **Lifespan:** 12-25 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-3 - **Incubation:** 21-29 days - **Migration Distance:** 6000 km ## Diet & Feeding These agile hunters primarily eat small fish by diving into the water! - **Primary Foods:** sardines, herring, sprat, anchovies, sand eels - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** European Herring Gull (*Larus argentatus*) — preys on eggs and chicks in nesting colonies. - **Eaten by:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — occasionally preys on adult terns during migration. - **Hunts:** Greater Sand Eel (*Ammodytes marinus*) — dives to catch these small fish, a primary food source. - **Hunts:** European Sprat (*Sprattus sprattus*) — a common small fish species targeted for hunting. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Watch Sandwich Terns from a distance so they feel safe and happy. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Sandwich Tern? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Sandwich Tern? 37-43 cm ### What is Sandwich Tern's wingspan? 85-97 cm ### How much does Sandwich Tern weigh? 0.18-0.3 kg ### How long does Sandwich Tern live? 12-25 years ### How fast can Sandwich Tern move? 60 km/h ### What does Sandwich Tern eat? These agile hunters primarily eat small fish by diving into the water! ### Where is Sandwich Tern usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Brunswick Old Town Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brunswick-old-town-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Fort De Soto Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-de-soto-park) — US · Nature Reserve - [Kingsley Plantation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kingsley-plantation) — Florida, US · Historic Site - [Reedville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/reedville-historic-district) — Virginia, US · Historic District - [Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hamburg-wadden-sea-national-park) — Hamburg, DE · Park - [Sébastopol Polder Regional Nature Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sebastopol-polder-regional-nature-reserve) — Pays de la Loire, FR · Park [View all places to see Sandwich Tern](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/sandwich-tern) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Sandwich Tern: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sandwich-tern)