Graceful Sooty Tern glides over the Pacific Ocean (00004803)
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Description: The Sooty Tern, also known as Sterna fuscata oahuensis, is a fascinating resident of the Hawaiian Islands. With approximately 50,000 breeding pairs nesting on Eastern and Spit Island, it is a remarkable sight. The female lays a single egg on the sand or the World War II-era runway on Eastern Island. These birds breed in large colonies and stay continuously at sea for up to three years after fledging. Their only resting opportunities are pieces of driftwood or sleeping sea turtles on the ocean surface. Sooty Terns are skilled hunters and play a vital role in the marine ecosystem.
Location: Hawaiian Islands, Midway, USA
Date of Capture: 16.07.2001