13 1/2-15" (34-38 cm). Mantle and wings dark gray, cap black but forehead white; underparts grayish; forked tail white.
A musical whee-hee-hee; chirping notes like those of House Sparrow.
Open beaches, marshes, neighboring shallow bays, and oceans.
Breeds in coastal Alaska. Winters off the coast of Indonesia and Malaysia.
The little-known Aleutian Tern usually nests among Arctic Terns, which are notoriously aggressive in defense of their nests. The Aleutians seem to take advantage of their neighbors' behavior, making no attempt to defend their own nests.
Two olive or buff eggs placed in a depression above high-tide line on small offshore islands and in coastal meadows. Nests in colonies.
