Crested Tern

• The Crested Tern is Australia’s second largest large tern
• It’s highest numbers are present during the breeding season as it breeds in the Lizard Island area, especially at Eagle Island
• Laying starts in mid-December and the first chicks appear in late January
• Terns will feed on small schooling fish, sighting their prey from the air, plunging downwards into the water and grabbing the fish with their feet
• Good fishing and generally predator-free habitats make the Great Barrier Reef the breeding choice for millions of seabirds
• Our islands, specifically Osprey, South and Palfrey Islands are important nesting sites for terns