New Zealand Fairy Tern

New Zealand Fairy Tern

A New Zealand Fairy Tern is one of the most rarest,

but endangered species within New Zealand. 

Scientific Name:

The scientific name for a New Zealand Fairy Tern is a

Sternula Nereis Davisae.

Appearance:During the breeding season, New Zealand Fairy Terns

have a black head and a yellow and orange beak.The upper part of their body

is a pale grey color.

They have a white throat, forehead, chest and belly, and orange legs.

The length of this bird is around 250mm.

States:

They are endangered and very close to extinction. 

Habitat:

They are commonly found and nest at four sites in Northland at Waipu. T

he four sites are  Mangawhai and Papakanui sand spits, and Pakiri River mouth. 

Diet: These Fairy Terns are carnivores. They mainly eat fish.

They also eat crustaceans, snails and plant material.

Crustaceans are sea creatures that have a really hard shell, such as crabs,

Lobsters and more. 

Reproduction Cycle:

They start breeding within September. They start laying eggs from

late October to early January. They lay 1-2 eggs every now and then. 

Current Population: 

There are approximately 40 individual Fairy  Terns and less than 12

breeding pairs. This is pretty  sad. As I said they are

endangered and need our help!!

Reasons why their Endangered:

Not many of these birds survive between Whangarei in the north

and Auckland to the south. They are threatened by introduced predators

and disturbances by humans.

How are we protecting them:

They are expanding their breeding range back into parts of their former

range. Some people are making some scrape nests for these birds, and

sometimes they’re lucky enough to see a pair of these birds nest in there. 

Future Outlook:

In my opinion I don’t think in 10 or 20 years time there will be any Fairy

terns left in the world, because as I said with the current population,

there aren’t  many left to go. It’s best to just leave these birds  at

peace if they’re trying to mind their own business. 

Fun  Facts: 

Weighing just 70 grams as an adult, the Fairy tern is one of

Australasia’s smallest terns. It’s New Zealand's rarest

breeding bird. The lifespan of a New Zealand Fairy Tern is less than

10 years.

Quick Note:

Please help us look after our beautiful bird. I don't want it to become extinct,

I want it to live on and make more generations to come!! So if you see a bird

that is in need or it's about to go extinct, then please do as

much as you can to help.