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The fairy tern: tiny beach nester

The fairy tern is a similar size to a hooded plover - so tiny, it would sit comfortably in the palm of your hand. They lay just two eggs, onto the beach.

As you can see from these remarkable images of adult birds and their tiny chicks, Tasmanian bird ecologist Dr Eric Woehler has spent a lot of time observing their behaviour.

The fairy terns nest in the open and can be exposed to predators such as domestic dogs. Fairy tern colonies are found in Tasmania on Flinders Island, King Island and along Tasmania's east coast. There are three subspecies - in Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia.

In Tasmania, the fairy tern is listed as vulnerable.

It hovers above the water to catch its prey, darting in beak first.

Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Image: Dr Eric Woehler
Dr Eric Woehler
Dr Eric Woehler
Dr Eric Woehler (OAM) is a seabird and shorebird ecologist based in lutruwita/Tasmania who has been...
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