Bridled Tern

1. White forehead patch and narrow white collar separate the black cap from brownish-grey upperparts

2. Pale grey-brown back and wings with white underparts and white-edged, deeply forked tail

3. Black bill and legs; juveniles are duller with a scaly pattern on the back

Bridled Terns nest colonially, usually under vegetation, rocks, or in crevices for shelter. Breeding typically occurs in warmer months, usually September/October-March/April. They lay one egg per breeding attempt though occasionally two eggs are reported. Both parents share incubation duties, which last about 28–30 days, and also feed the chick until it fledges. Their diet includes small fish, squid, and marine insects, often caught by dipping or shallow plunge-diving near floating seaweed. They are highly aerial, rarely resting on the water, and often perch on floating objects.

Bridled Terns breed on small rocky islands, coral cays, and exposed reefs across northern Australia and nearby regions. Outside the breeding season, they are almost exclusively found far offshore, often associated with floating Sargassum seaweed and marine debris, sometimes 50–130 kilometres from land. Sightings from shore are rare except during storms that drive them closer to land.