Cabot's Tern Thalasseus acuflavidus

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 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.

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.

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.