Peculiar Biology: The Inca tern, the bird as a gentleman, elegant and timeless!
Inca tern: Larosterna inca
It is a species of bird in the genus Ouke tern and the only member of the genus, with no subspecies.
The Inca tern is one of the most beautiful and interesting birds in the world. They are known for their dashing white beards and look a lot like an elegant gentleman, grandfather or grandmother.
Because this beard is found in both males and females.
Distribution:
The Inca tern is found mainly in Chile, Ecuador and Peru, with some having wandered to Central America and Hawaii.
Although they are largely non-migratory, some travel north after breeding, and some individuals have drifted considerable distances.
It usually inhabits the coasts of Peru and Chile, with a preference for cold, low-salinity currents. I like to spend most of the activities on the sandy beaches and rocky cliffs of offshore islands.
They nest on sea cliffs, ledges under piers or artificial structures on abandoned barges.
Inca terns still inhabit their range, but non-breeding birds sometimes move, depending on the adequacy of food resources.
Appearance:
Compared with terns, Inca terns are large, with a body length of between 39 ~ 42cm and a wingspan of about 80cm. The weight is between 180~210g.
The beak is bright red , larger and more curved. The legs are short and dark red. There is a small yellow feather under the eyes, and a long white feather that extends from under the eyes to the bottom of the neck.
Young birds are generally brown with black beaks and legs, and do not grow this "beard" until they are about two years old.
Life habits:
It is a diurnal gregarious species that lives and nests in flocks of thousands of birds, usually close to seagull colonies.
It will gather on the beach with other seabirds.
It generally does not migrate like other seabirds, as mentioned above.
Wild Inca terns can live up to 14 years, and captive ones can live up to 20 years.
A skilled flyer that dives and circles before chasing its prey. Inca terns fly briefly above their prey and then feed by diving from a height.
Unfortunately, they are not strong swimmers because their jio webbing is not large enough.
Its bark is like a meow and sounds more like an angry cat.
Foraging:
Foraging on the shores of coastal waters and slightly inland. They dive near the surface in search of food, rather than diving for food like typical terns.
Inca terns feed on small fish, such as anchovies. It usually feeds in coastal and offshore waters.
The birds occasionally clean up leftovers from sea lions and dolphins.
Reproductive aspects:
The breeding of Inca terns does not seem to be concentrated in any season. Traces of their breeding have been found from April to July and from October to December and in August.
An elaborate courtship by the Inca terns, including a "high-altitude flight ceremony." Males will quickly rise to hundreds of feet to perform agile flight shows to impress females of their choice.
While they are still flying, they have a fish in their mouths. The female is then followed for courtship feeding.
Inca terns are mostly monogamous, with both parties raising their cubs together.
Long live the pure love God of War!
Usually two eggs are laid, sometimes one. The juveniles are grey and grow wings at about 4 weeks of age. Independence is reached after one month and can be bred at the age of 2 or 3 years.
When breeding, nests are generally chosen to be built in cliff depressions or cracks, sometimes even directly in the old nests of Humboldt penguins, and both parties often return to the same nest for several years in a row to continue living.
Inca terns are best known for their white whiskers for both males and females.
This beard is more than just an ornament, according to research, the length of the Inca tern's whiskers represents their health, the longer the healthier. Inca terns with longer beards are also more likely to attract the opposite sex.
Protection Status:
The Inca tern population is currently under serious threat due to declining fish stocks, human overfishing, and overharvesting of bird droppings.
Seabird droppings are good fertilizer, but if too many people pick them up, it will destroy the habitat of the Inca terns to some extent
There used to be millions of Inca terns, but now only about 150,000 remain in the wild. They are not currently endangered, but are listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Some gentleman bird fun facts:
The red beak, red legs and characteristic white beard of the Inca tern will not fully develop until 1~2 years old.
The length of the Inca tern's beard appears to be related to its health. The longer the beard, the healthier. Adult Inca terns with long beards are the most productive, and they give birth to heavier chicks with stronger bodies.
The Inca tern and the Humboldt penguin feed at different depths, so the two are able to coexist. Inca terns also often nest in abandoned Humboldt penguin nests.
Inca terns can make cat-like meowing sounds.
When sea lions catch fish and then drag them onto rocks to eat them, large flocks of Inca terns hover above them and then swoop down to steal the chewed food from between the sea lions' teeth.
