About Sternula nereis Gould, 1843
The fairy tern (Sternula nereis Gould, 1843) is a small tern species. It has a white body and light bluish-grey wings, with a small black patch on its head that does not extend past the eye, and never reaches the bill. When in breeding plumage, both the beak and legs are yellowish-orange. Outside of the breeding season, the bird loses its black crown, which is mostly replaced by white feathers, and its beak becomes black at both the tip and base. Males and females look identical, and the plumage of immature fairy terns matches the non-breeding plumage of adults. The total body length of the fairy tern is approximately 25 cm (10 in).
