Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans), Amado STP, Pima County

This Elegant Tern was photographed by Carol Hippenmeyer and Patricia Isaacson on 22 May 2021

Elegant Tern is a very rare (but increasing) wanderer to southern Arizona from the Gulf of California in the spring and early summer.

May 2021 saw an exceptional number of well documented reports of this species in the southern half of the state. Most sightings of this species in Arizona are preceded by strong southwest winds originating in the northern Gulf of California.

Shaggy crested tern with black legs and long reddish-orange decurved bill.

22 May 2021, photo by CAROL HIPPENMEYER

22 May 2021, photo by Patricia Isaacson

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