Backyard Zoology · 26 December 2016
2016-12-26T18:32:53+11:00
https://www.facebook.com/backyardzoology/videos/548943535291960/

Spent the last few days discovering just how cool Greater Crested Terns are!

Loads of courtship displays with one bird diving arrow-like into the ocean to catch a bait fish, flying back to the rookery, announcing its arrival VERY loudly and then displaying. If the display is returned (and sometimes there's a few contenders and sometimes the poor sod stands there squawking away, fish in mouth, with absolutely no responders - I feel you Tern) then the fish is exchanged. 

One particularly unlucky tern after having no takers, took off with his fish, only to do a lap and return squawking again. And again. And again. We watched as he presented to group after group but not one female took the bait (literally). Eventually he seemed to give up and just ate the damn fish himself! 

Greater Crested Tern