Species profile
Sandwich Tern
Thalasseus acuflavidus
Quick answer
occurs in eastern North America, Antilles and Caribbean and overwinters from the southern Caribbean to southern Peru and Uruguay (Gochfeld & Burger, 2016 b). Individuals from North America migrate south across the Caribbean and over the coasts from both Central and South America (Gochfeld & Burger, 2016 b). In Brazil, this species breeds on coastal islands in the South and Southeast regions, and the largest breeding colony of the South Atlantic is in ES with around 14,000 individuals (M. A. Efe, pers. comm.). In RS, (Accordi & Hartz, 2013) and BA, it can be observed all year round, but there are large gatherings of individuals on the coast of BA from September to April originated from breeding colonies in ES according to banding data (Lima et al., 2004 b). Although this species is considered migratory by Jahn & Cueto (2012), available data shows it is only partially migratory.
- Scientific name
- Thalasseus acuflavidus
- Family
- Laridae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Genus
- Thalasseus
- Conservation status
- Vulnerable
Recording Sandwich Tern in your journal
When you see this bird, log the sighting with the date, the place and any photos. If it's your first, Feather Journal marks it as a lifer and adds it to your life list automatically — no spreadsheet, no re-typing.