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River Tern (Sterna aurantia)


River Tern (Sterna aurantia)
Photo Information
Copyright: Saurabh Sawant (mastermind_jinx) (31)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-03-04
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS400D, Canon EF 75-300mm USM III
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/400 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-05-03 22:32
Viewed: 320
Points: 4
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Sternidae
Genus: Sterna
Species: S. aurantia

The Indian River Tern or just River Tern (Sterna aurantia) is a bird in the tern family . It is a resident breeder along inland rivers from Iran east through Pakistan into India and Myanmar to Thailand, where it is uncommon. It does not occur in Sri Lanka. Unlike most Sterna terns, it is almost exclusively found on freshwater, rarely venturing even to tidal creeks.

This species breeds from March to May in colonies in less accessible areas such as sandbanks in rivers. It nests in a ground scrape, often on bare rock or sand, and lays three greenish-grey to buff eggs, which are blotched and streaked with brown.

This is a medium-sized tern, 38-43 cm long with dark grey upperparts, white underparts, a forked tail with long flexible streamers, and long pointed wings. The bill is yellow and the legs red. It has a black cap in breeding plumage. In the winter the cap is greyish white, flecked and streaked with black, there is a dark mask through the eye, and the tip of the bill becomes dusky.

The sexes are similar but juveniles have a brown head, brown-marked grey upperparts, grey breast sides and white underparts. The bill is yellowish with a dark tip

As with other Sterna terns, the River Tern feeds by plunge-diving for fish, crustaceans, tadpoles and aquatic insects in rivers, lakes, and tanks. Its numbers are decreasing is due to the pollution of their habitat.

The Photograph is shot at Umredi Dam in Gujarat near Gir National Park - Sasan.

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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Saurabh,
Very nice in flight shot, very good composition and
point of view, theres good room for the bird to fly,
very good sharpness and edpth of field, lovely colors
and nice clarity.
Angela

Hello Saurabh, Nice shot of this flying bird. firm shot and sharp one. The composition is very fine. Ganesh

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