River Tern
Another fierce defender of its colony, found
alongside the Pratincoles at Kabini, is the River Tern. River Terns derive
their name from the fact that they are often found on freshwater habitats and
are rarely seen by the sea. Greenish-grey eggs are characteristic of River
Terns. A nesting Tern is often guarded by extremely aggressive mates and has
been known to drive out large foraging animals such as foxes.
The most distinctive features of the River
Tern are its yellow bill, red legs and forked tail with long flexible
streamers. True to the Tern family, the
River Tern feeds by plunge-diving for fish, crustaceans, tadpoles and aquatic
insects in rivers, lakes and tanks.
Both these birds are small, aggressive and
extremely sensitive. You need to ensure you keep a fair distance from them and
make sure long zoom/telelens are used to get close ups (like the ones above).
These birds are known to abandon nests and
move to newer habitats at the first sign of intrusion. They are found in abundance
at Kabini, often living alongside colonies of Pratincoles and Kingfishers.
