Australian Tern
（英文名：Australian Tern，学名：Gelochelidon macrotarsa），是鸻形目鸥科噪鸥属的鸟类。其体型中等，喙厚且呈黑色，整体羽色非常苍白。繁殖季节头顶黑色，腿为黑色。曾被认为是鸥嘴噪鸥的一个亚种，但现已独立成种。分布于澳大利亚内陆，繁殖于澳大利亚中南部，非繁殖季会迁至新几内亚沿海南部和帝汶岛。
Australian Tern
Two recently separated species:
Gelochelidon macrotarsa.
Gelochelidon nilotica affinis.
35-38 cm; span 1.0-1.2 m. Australian Tern bill black, deep, appears slightly downcurved; legs black, long. Breeding Plumage: black cap pulled down over eyes, pale grey back with whitish rump and tail. Non-breeding: head white, some remnant black streaks, large black oval patch around eye and across ear-coverts. Juvenile: streaked darker on crown; mottled above.
Migratory Gull-billed Tern smaller, grey rump and tail; bill straight, stout; in Aust. only in non-breeding plumage when dark patch over ear-coverts small, irregular.
Singles, parties. In flight note broad whitish wings with dark trailing edge at tip; tail short, forked. Swoops/skims gracefully, plucks prey from surface of water/ground; seldom plunges.
Gull-billed Tern: Non-breeding summer migrant (Sept.-April) to n. and e. coasts, s. to c. Hunter R. (NSW).
- Similar Species
- Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern.
- Voice
- throaty 'ka-huk', or 'tirruck-tirruck'.
- Habitat
- beaches, mudflats; fresh, brackish wetlands, including far inland; grasslands, crops, ploughed fields, airfields.
- Breeding
- Sept.-May, usually small colonies on islands in inland lakes.
- Eggs
- 2-3; buff-white, grey-green; blotched purplish red, brown, lilac; in scrape lined with twigs, feathers.
- Range & Status
- Australian Tern: mostly sparse, but present all months coastal e. Aust. s. to c. Hunter R. (NSW); summer breeding visitor to se. Aust.; scarce, patchy in s. WA; mostly winter visitor coastal n. Aust., New Guinea. Breeds well inland and in WA when conditions suitable. Vagrant Tas., Lord Howe I., NZ. Nomadic.
- Distribution key to races
- 1. Gelochelidon macrotarsa = Australian Tern. 2. Gelochelidon nilotoca affinis= Gull-billed Tern.
