Kerguelen Tern
Encyclopedia
The Kerguelen Tern is a tern
of the southern hemisphere
.
This seabird
mainly breeds colonially in the Kerguelen Islands
, as its common name implies. However, smaller colonies are also found in the Prince Edward Islands
(i.e. Prince Edward and Marion) and Crozet Islands
. The total number of individuals is from 3,500-6,500 birds, although there is no recent data from the main colony at Kerguelen. These birds do not inhabit Kerguelen proper, instead nesting on islets free of feral cat
s. During bad weather, they are known to abandon their colonies.
Kerguelen Terns are among the least-ranging of all typical terns. They generally do not reach far into the seas near their breeding grounds.
These birds eat fish
and marine invertebrates, especially those found in beds of the seaweed Macrocystis spp.
They sometimes also hunt insects on land and catch fish from rivers on Kerguelen.
Tern
Terns are seabirds in the family Sternidae, previously considered a subfamily of the gull family Laridae . They form a lineage with the gulls and skimmers which in turn is related to skuas and auks...
of the southern hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
.
This seabird
Seabird
Seabirds are birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same environmental problems and feeding niches have resulted in similar adaptations...
mainly breeds colonially in the Kerguelen Islands
Kerguelen Islands
The Kerguelen Islands , also known as the Desolation Islands, are a group of islands in the southern Indian Ocean constituting the emerged part of the otherwise submerged Kerguelen Plateau. The islands, along with Adélie Land, the Crozet Islands and the Amsterdam and Saint Paul Islands are part of...
, as its common name implies. However, smaller colonies are also found in the Prince Edward Islands
Prince Edward Islands
The Prince Edward Islands are two small islands in the sub-antarctic Indian Ocean that are part of South Africa. The islands, named Marion Island and Prince Edward Island, are located at ....
(i.e. Prince Edward and Marion) and Crozet Islands
Crozet Islands
The Crozet Islands are a sub-antarctic archipelago of small islands in the southern Indian Ocean. They form one of the five administrative districts of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.-Geography:...
. The total number of individuals is from 3,500-6,500 birds, although there is no recent data from the main colony at Kerguelen. These birds do not inhabit Kerguelen proper, instead nesting on islets free of feral cat
Feral cat
A feral cat is a descendant of a domesticated cat that has returned to the wild. It is distinguished from a stray cat, which is a pet cat that has been lost or abandoned, while feral cats are born in the wild; the offspring of a stray cat can be considered feral if born in the wild.In many parts of...
s. During bad weather, they are known to abandon their colonies.
Kerguelen Terns are among the least-ranging of all typical terns. They generally do not reach far into the seas near their breeding grounds.
These birds eat fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
and marine invertebrates, especially those found in beds of the seaweed Macrocystis spp.
Macrocystis
Macrocystis is a genus of kelp . This genus contains the largest of all the phaeophyceae or brown algae. Macrocystis has pneumatocysts at the base of its blades. Sporophytes are perennial, and individual stipes may persist for many years...
They sometimes also hunt insects on land and catch fish from rivers on Kerguelen.