Fascinating Capture of Sooty Terns with Chicks on Eastern Island, Hawaii (00004862)
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Description: The Sooty Tern (Sterna fuscata oahuensis) is a fascinating seabird species that breeds on Eastern Island, Hawaii. Approximately 50,000 pairs of Sooty Terns nest here. The female lays a single egg in the sand or on the hard surface of the runway, a remnant from World War II. The birds breed in a large colony and stay on the sea continuously for up to three years after fledging. Their only opportunity to rest is driftwood or sleeping sea turtles on the ocean's surface. Sooty Terns are excellent hunters and a captivating subject for nature photographers.
Location: Hawaiian Islands, Midway, USA
Date of Capture: 17.07.2001