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Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia
At-a-Glance
• Incubation: 20-22 days
• Clutch Size: 1-4 eggs
• Young Fledge: 30-40 days after hatching
• Typical Foods: fish and aquatic invertebrates
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Description
The Caspian tern is easily the world's largest. They resemble gulls more than terns due to their size, but the stout orange-red bill and dark cap are unique.
Habitat and Habits
This tern can be found in large water bodies, including lakes, big rivers, and Lake Erie. The call is a very loud, grating sound that is somewhat heron-like.
Reproduction and Care of the Young
While Caspian terns breed on the Great Lakes, there are no Lake Erie nesting records from Ohio, although they are common migrants. Often the migrant adults are accompanied by young, who are dependent upon them for months. |
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