Tern Elegant (Thalasseus elegans) vagrant – Cape West South Africa

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Tern Elegant (Thalasseus elegans) vagrant – Cape West South Africa

The elusive Elegant Tern lurking behind local terns.  The Elegant Tern breeds on the Pacific coasts of the southern United States and Mexico and winters south to Peru, Ecuador and Chile.  Thus a great surprise to find this vagrant in Cape Town.  According to Ian Sinclair and Prof. Peter Ryan in 2013 a ringed Elegant Tern was captured near Walvis Bay the following DNA analysis the Elegant Tern they suspect it to be a hybrid.

  • Species:Elegant Tern (Thalasseus elegans)
  • Bird Type:Adult
  • FamilyGulls, Terns and Skimmers (Laridae)
  • Date Taken20170326
  • Location:Strandfontein Sewerage Works
  • Area:Cape Town
  • Country:South Africa
  • Region:All Africa South of Sahara
Photo File Ref: BOA75004a Tern Elegant V 3 Strandfontein Sewerage Works Cape Town RSA Mar17 PH2_8860
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