The fairy tern is a small tern which is native to the southwestern Pacific. It is listed as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN and the New Zealand subspecies is "Critically Endangered". Fairy terns live in colonies along the coastlines and estuaries of Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia, feeding largely on small, epipelagic schooling fishes, breeding in areas close to their feeding sites. They have a monogamous mating system, forming breeding pairs in which they mate, nest, and care for offspring.
Region
Southwestern Pacific
Typical Environment
Occurs along coastal Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia, concentrating around sandy beaches, sandspits, tidal estuaries, and sheltered lagoons. It forages in very nearshore marine waters, estuary mouths, and shallow bays, typically within a few kilometers of its nesting sites. Nesting is on open sand, shell, or shingle where vegetation is sparse, often on low-lying beaches and spits. The species avoids far offshore waters and relies on dynamic coastal habitats that can shift with storms and currents.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 100 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The fairy tern is a tiny coastal tern of Australasia, specialized for catching small schooling fish in shallow, nearshore waters. It breeds on open sand or shell beaches, making simple scrapes that are highly vulnerable to disturbance, storms, and predators. The New Zealand subspecies is among the most threatened seabirds in the region, prompting intensive management such as fencing and predator control. Colonies can shift sites between seasons in response to sand movement and food availability.
![Tara iti (New Zealand fairy tern) chicks in nest.[13]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/DOC_Fairy_Tern_photos_11.jpg/1280px-DOC_Fairy_Tern_photos_11.jpg)
Tara iti (New Zealand fairy tern) chicks in nest.[13]
Fairy tern eggs camouflage with shells.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with hovering dives
Social Behavior
Breeds in small colonies or loose groups on open beaches, often shifting colony sites between years. Pairs are monogamous within a season; both adults incubate and feed the chick. Nests are shallow scrapes with minimal lining, making them sensitive to trampling and high tides.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
High, thin, piping calls used in flight and around colonies. Alarm notes are sharp and insistent, while contact calls are softer and more musical.
