Archive for the SEABIRDS Category

"Aechmophorus occidentalis” The large & elegant Western Grebe breeds in lakes, ponds & coastal regions across the American West and winters primarily off the Pacific Coast. The Western Grebe is commonly found from Canada through California and sometimes in Mexico. In the winter, the Western Grebe livesRead more →

"Actitis hypoleucos” The Common Sandpiper has a varied diet, feeding on a range of insects, spiders, mollusks, crustaceans and annelid worms as well as occasionally taking tadpoles, adult frogs and toads, small fish and some plant material such as seeds. However, studies have shown the winter dietRead more →

"Haliaeetus leucogaster” White-Bellied Sea Eagles are large gray & white raptors that live from southeast Asia to Australia and Tasmania. They occur in a range of habitats and have a highly varied diet. White-Bellied Sea Eagles have a gray-brown back and wing coverts and are white alongRead more →

"Sterna caspia” As large as a big gull, the Caspian Tern is the largest tern in the world. Its large coral red bill makes it one of the most easily identified terns throughout its worldwide range. A harsh loud call is the first thing you will probablyRead more →

"Thalasseus maximus” The Royal Tern is the second-largest tern. In gatherings of gulls & terns, it is usually quite easily identified by its larger size, its distinctive black crest and bright orange bill. Adult in breeding plumage has black crown and elongated feathers on the nape. On the upper-parts,Read more →

"Creagrus furcatus” The Swallow-tailed Gull is an equatorial seabird in the gull family Laridae. The species is endemic to the Galápagos Islands. When it is not breeding it is totally pelagic, migrating eastward to the coasts of Ecuador and Peru. The bird was first described by French naturalistRead more →

"Phoebastria irrorata” The Waved Albatross is the only albatross that lives in the tropics. The Waved Albatross breeds in on Española Island in the Galápagos Archipelago. It is possible a small number of Waved Albatrosses also breed on Isla de la Plata, an island that lies offRead more →

"Rynchops niger” The Black Skimmer has an unusual way to fish. It has a huge lower bill that is not like other birds; it doesn’t move. The Black Skimmer uses this lower bill to plows or “skim” through the water until it strikes a fish, then theRead more →

"Leucophaeus atricilla” Swirling over beaches with strident calls and a distinctive, crisp black head, Laughing Gulls provide sights & sounds evocative of summer on the East Coast. You’ll run across this handsome gull in large numbers at beaches, docks and parking lots, where they wait for handoutsRead more →

"Phoebastria nigripes” The formidable wingspan of the Black-footed Albatross, allows them to ride the wind currents above the ocean for hours at a time, without landing or even flapping their wings. The name albatross came from the Arabic word al-câdous or al-ġaţţās. This means "the diver" andRead more →