Cabot's Tern Thalasseus acuflavidus

Cabot's Tern
Cabot's Tern
Cabot's Tern, above in its winter plumage, is native to North America and the Caribbean. In summer breeding plumage it has a fully dark cap.
Cabot's Tern
Cabot's Tern
Cabot's Tern
Cabot's Tern looks similar to the Sandwich Tern, of which it was classed as a subspecies until recently. The Sandwich has a narrower bill and some plumage differences and is only a rare vagrant to the Americas. Cabot's has a subspecies called the Cayenne Tern in northern South America.
Cabot's Tern juvenile
Cabot's Tern juvenile with parent
Cabot's Terns
A juvenile Cabot's. Photos on this page were taken by Alexandra Makhnina. She says that this juvenile was constantly begging its parent for food.
Cabot's Terns
Cabot's Tern
Cabot's Tern with Royal Tern
The related Royal Tern, shown alongside a Cabot's (and Laughing Gulls) in the third photo above, is much larger and has an orange bill.