The Black Tern is an attractive bird which has been described with enthusiastic language. It is especially striking in its breeding plumage of black head and smoky-gray body

In this article we will focus on the adult forms of the three most common pink-legged gulls seen in Western Washington in winter, plus the hybrid of the Glaucous-winged and Western Gulls. Many observers now say that this hybrid gull is the most commonly seen gull of them all.

In the northwest we have three species of gulls with white heads and yellow legs: Mew Gull, Ring-billed Gull, and California Gull.  They differ in size, bill markings, mantel color, and wing tip appearance.  In this article we will compare and contrast only the adult plumage birds.

The Caspian Tern (CATE) is about 21” long with a wingspan of 50” and weight of 1.4 lb (660g). The genus name Sterna (STIR-nah) is Latin stemming from Anglo-Saxon stearn , tern.

“The Bonaparte’s has a graceful, buoyant flight, which is rather ternlike” (Alderfer).