Orange-billed tern in Texas

[AndyB]

Benji from Birding High Island (http://www.birdinghighisland.com) sent us some images of a small orange-billed tern he found on Monday at Bolivar, Texas (amongst some Royal Terns). Elegant is rare in Texas (3 Texas records) but probably most expected of the rarities or could it be something else? There is a Sandwich nearby and it looks bigger billed so presumably rules out Cayenne? Thanks in advance for your input.

PS I just spent a long weekend on the upper texas coast and spent a good deal of time visiting Cin-Ty's local patch Bolivar. Not only did we miss a pair of Greater Flamingos (one is a wild bird ringed in Mexico) but looks like we also missed this mega tern! :hmpf:

[Colin Key]

On first impressions (and have not checked against photos in books or on web) I would say that the bill is not long enough, thin enough or curved enough for Elegant Tern. If I hadn't been told it was in Texas I would have gone for Lesser Crested. Is that possible?

Colin

[jc122463]

Hi Colin,
Living in Africa, my first impression was also of a crested tern. If I had been over there, I probably wouldn't have looked twice. I believe this would be a first record for North America though. That obviously doesn't rule it out completely as I think Elegant has actually been recorded in Europe and terns do some strange things. I'm definitely leaning towards Elegant at this point, but more opinions are would be very helpful.

Cheers,
Benji

PS - Thanks for posting this on surfbirds Andy

[Colin Key]

Hi Benji,

I think that this is a really difficult one based on these photos. I have very limited experience with Elegant and Lesser Crested, but both have occurred in southern Portugal and Spain. BUT, we have also had a few "orange-billed" birds which are thought to be intergrades and to which no-one can put a decisive name.

The bill length and shape changes in Andy's photos due to the perspective - on balance I think I would now plump for Elegant (but if it was my sighting I might lose sleep over it:twitcy:)

Colin

[Jim McConnell]

Hi,

Based on the bill, which shows best in pictures 2 and 3, I, too, would think Elegant Tern. The bill is longish with a droop at the end. The bird seems to fit Elegant in body size also, and would be less rare, of course, than Lesser Crested. Nice photos.