Gull-billed Terns in north-western Australia: subspecies identification, moults and behavioural notes

Abstract

Two subspecies of the Gull-billed Tern (Sterna nilotica) occur along the coasts of north-western Australia: the large, pale Australian subspecies macrotarsa, and a smaller, darker migratory subspecies from northern Asia. On the basis of banding data we describe the measurements and moult strategies of both subspecies in north-western Australia and identify the Asian migrants as subspecies affinis. Asian migrants have a predictable plumage cycle including regular alternation between breeding and non-breeding plumage in adults. The moult strategy of Australian macrotarsa is more varied and we argue it is adapted to exploit unpredictable breeding opportunities. Plumage and structural characters described in this paper allow the two subspecies to be distinguished in the field, and field observations demonstrate some broad ecological differences between them. Adult affinis occur in Australia from August to April, with smaller numbers of immatures remaining during the dry season; they are strictly coastal, occurring in highest abundance over intertidal flats near mangrove systems where they pluck prey from the surface of mud while in flight. Subspecies macrotarsa uses the north-western Australian coast as a non-breeding area, but it does so mainly during the dry season and also uses grasslands and inland wetlands; unlike affinis, in Roebuck Bay it is regularly kleptoparasitic, stealing large crabs (Macropthalmus sp.) from Whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus).