Gray Noddy

1. Large dark eye with a small black patch extending toward the bill and a thin white partial eye-ring

2. Pale blue-grey upperparts and off-white head and underparts

3. Unique feeding behaviour: hovering and pattering on the sea surface with webbed feet

Grey Noddies feed mainly on plankton, tiny fish (average prey size about 17 mm), krill, squid, and sea-striders. They have the narrowest gape of all terns, specializing in the smallest prey. They breed in loose colonies on rocky cliffs, ledges, or under vegetation, laying a single egg in a simple nest or scrape. Both parents incubate the egg for about 32 days, and chicks fledge after 35–37 days, continuing to be fed by regurgitation for some time. Notably, chicks beg for food by pecking at the pink webs on adult feet, rather than at the bill as in most other terns. The Grey Noddy is generally silent but may give a soft purring call; when disturbed at colonies, they can erupt into noisy screams.

Grey Noddies inhabit the subtropical and tropical Pacific Ocean, mainly around rocky offshore islands and reefs. In Australian waters, they are most likely seen around Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands, as well as other offshore islands in the region. They forage in small to large flocks close to breeding colonies, usually over inshore waters, and are most active during the day.