Gygis

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Gygis
White Tern
White Tern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Sternidae
Genus: Gygis
Wagler, 1832
species

G. alba
G. microrhyncha

Gygis is a genus of birds in the tern family. It consists of two species,

The Little White Tern is sometimes consider to be a subspecies, G. a. microrhyncha, of the White Tern.

These are small, all white terns of tropical oceans. They nest on coral islands, usually on trees with thin branches but also on rocky ledges and on man-made structures. They feed on small fish caught by plunge diving.

[edit] References

  • BirdLife International (2004). Gygis alba. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern.
  • Niethammer, K. R., and L. B. Patrick-Castilaw. 1998. White Tern (Gygis alba). in The Birds of North America, No. 371 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.

[edit] External links

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