Sandwich x Elegant Tern (hybrid) - Roger Schoedl

ML64112541

Sandwich x Elegant Tern (hybrid) Thalasseus sandvicensis x elegans

Report

Contributor

Date

Location

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
Orange, California, United States
Media from this location Illustrated Checklist
Map
Map Coordinates: 33.7026531, -118.050735
Age
Not specified
Sex
Not specified

Observation details

Adult tern - no spotting on scapulars or tertials. Observed sitting on boom by 1st lookout. Dull yellow bill caught my eye. Noticeably duller in color than Forster's and other Elegants present. Seen by naked eye had an odd dingy appearance. No sign of oiling on the feathering. On closer observation with binoculars blackish areas evident in bill pigment. The area around nares on both the left and right side were black. The bottom of the lower mandible was black which ran about 2/3rds the length of the bill from the base. Only time I have ever observed black on the bill of an Elegant. The black in the bill suggests Sandwhich Tern influence. This bird shows considerably less black in the bill than some purported hybrids photographed in recent years. The limited extent of the black could be the result of offspring of a hybrid backcrossing with Elegants. Hard to be certain with this bird but definitely interesting to think about.

Technical information

Model
E-510
ISO
200
Focal length
500 mm
Flash
Flash did not fire
f-stop
f/7.1
Shutter speed
1/400 sec
Dimensions
2200 pixels x 1650 pixels
Original file size
1.01 MB