„Among the vast hordes of sea birds nesting in the great colonies of the southern Atlantic and Gulf coasts, this king of all the terns may be seen climbing into the air on its long, strong wings, its big red bill wide open, yelling out its loud raucous cry of defiance. As the dominant, ruling spirit in the colonies it scorns the companionship of humbler fowl, holds itself aloof, and lives a little apart from the others. The largest, the strongest and the fiercest of the terns, it well deserves the name, imperial tern. It was christened Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) by Pallas, because it was first described from a specimen taken near the Caspian Sea. It is a cosmopolitan species of wide palaearctic and nearctic distribution.“
This is, what Arthur Bent wrote in 1921 in his “Life histories of North American gulls and terns: Order Longipennes.” which was published in the Bulletin of the United States National Museum.
And this is true until today. Its broad, expansive wings allow it to soar and wheel dramatically like a gull, and its slow wing beats power a graceful flight that is strong and swift. Its loud raucous call is heard frequently in breeding colonies, especially when nesting birds are approached by intruders.The Caspian Tern is the largest tern. It is distinguished from other tern species by its massive coral red bill, hoarse vocalizations, and similarities to large Larus gulls in flight.
The Caspian Tern occurs on all continents with the exception of Antarctica. Caspian Terns are breeding and wintering along many coastlines and inland along rivers, lakes, and marshes on a global scale. The best images of Caspian Terns were shot by bird-lens.com on the shores of the Red Sea and in Sri Lanka.
Breeding birds from the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea winter in western Africa in the upper Niger inundation zone in Mali and in the Gulf of Guinea. But a few winter in the Mediterranean Sea area and the upper Nile. Birds from the Caspian Sea, the Aral lake and the Kazakhstan regions winter in the Persian Gulf and on coasts of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. The origin of the Caspian Terns seen on the shores of the Red Sea and in Sri Lanka seem to be from this vast central asiatic area.
In order to meet the growing demand for top images of the rarer species of Palaearctic Bird-lens.com has specifically made trips to remote places. Additionally every chance is used, if a rare bird is around the homeground. This to do everything to ensure excellent photos of the Birds of the Western Palearctic . The yield of pictures also of rare Western Palaearctic birds is very good. There are other nice images of birds, that you will find behind the tab “Picture Shop“. Just give a notice if you need a picture of a bird which is not online.