### Identification The Aleutian Tern (*Onychoprion aleuticus*) is the "smoky" ghost of the northern coastlines. Slightly smaller than the ubiquitous Arctic Tern, it is distinguished by its sooty-grey underparts and a striking white triangular blaze on its forehead that contrasts sharply with a black cap and eye-line. Unlike many of its cousins, its bill and legs are entirely black, never red. In flight, look for a crisp, dark bar along the secondary feathers on the trailing edge of the upper wing—a diagnostic mark that separates it from the Common Tern. Its wings are broader and its tail-streamers shorter, giving it a more compact, "hunched" silhouette in the air.
### Habitat & Range This is a specialist of the North Pacific. Its breeding range is restricted to the rugged coastlines of Alaska and Eastern Siberia, where it nests in coastal meadows, spongy tundra, and gravel spits. You’ll find them tucked into the Aleutian Islands and the Copper River Delta, often in areas with low-lying vegetation like sedges and mosses.
### Behaviour Observers will notice that Aleutian Terns are significantly more "polite" than other terns. While Arctic Terns will relentlessly dive-bomb your head, the Aleutian is shy and prone to abandoning its nest if disturbed. Their flight is remarkably buoyant and fluttery, almost moth-like. During the breeding season, they form loose colonies, often nesting on the periphery of more aggressive Arctic Tern groups for protection.
### Diet They are primarily piscivores, snatching small forage fish like sand lance, capelin, and herring. Unlike the deep-plunging gannets, they are "surface-snatchers," hovering delicately before dipping their bills into the top inch of the water. On the tundra, they also hawk for insects mid-air.
### Fascinating Fact Forget the harsh, rasping screams typical of gulls and terns; the Aleutian Tern has a voice like a songbird. Its most common call is a melodic, three-note whistle that sounds more like a shorebird or a cricket than a seabird—a delightful surprise for any birder used to the "skree" of the coast!