27 Inca Tern Facts: The Bird With a Mustache (Larosterna inca)
7. Are Inca terns friendly or aggressive?
It depends on who you ask. Most Inca terns love each other’s company which is why they hang out together in large colonies.
But, if you ask other birds, dolphins and sea lions, they may tell you (if they could talk) that Inca terns are indeed aggressive. Why? #12 talks more about this.
8. How long do Inca terns live?
Inca terns can live up to 14 years in the wild and 25 years in captivity.
9. What eats an Inca tern? Predators and Threats
Cats, rats, and sea lions will eat, or at least attack, Inca terns. Raptors such as turkey vultures, owls, and peregrine falcons will also eat them. Also, if mom and dad Inca terns don’t watch their eggs and chicks closely, large seabirds may find and eat them.
Inca tern populations are threatened due to a number of causes that include overfishing by humans. Lots of people like to eat anchovies, but the Inca tern depends on these small fish to survive. If humans eat them all, the Inca tern could go extinct.
Another threat is excessive guano harvesting. Guano (seabird poop) makes great fertilizer, but if too many people are allowed to disrupt the guano islands where the Inca terns often live, their habitat could be destroyed. Fortunately, the Peruvian government has established a reserve to protect these seabirds.
10. Is the Inca tern endangered?
There were once millions of Inca terns, but now there are only about 150,000 of these seabirds remaining in the wild.
They are not endangered, but they are listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN (International Union of Conservation for Nature).
11. What do Inca terns eat?
Inca terns are piscivores. This means they eat fish. They especially like anchovies but will also eat other fish, plankton, and crustaceans (shrimp, crayfish, crab, etc.)
These seabirds obtain their food by flying over the water. When they spot their prey just under the surface, they will dive down and swoop it up in their sharp, pointed beaks.
They are also smart birds because they also follow sea lions, dolphins, whales and fishing boats to scavenge scraps. But, that’s not all. Inca terns have another way that they get food. Check out the next fact.
12. Are Inca terns kleptoparasitic?
Remember back in #7, I promised to let you in on why dolphins, sea lions, and other birds may think that Inca terns are aggressive? Well, the answer is that Inca terns are kleptoparasitic.
It depends on who you ask. Most Inca terns love each other’s company which is why they hang out together in large colonies.
But, if you ask other birds, dolphins and sea lions, they may tell you (if they could talk) that Inca terns are indeed aggressive. Why? #12 talks more about this.
8. How long do Inca terns live?
Inca terns can live up to 14 years in the wild and 25 years in captivity.
9. What eats an Inca tern? Predators and Threats
Cats, rats, and sea lions will eat, or at least attack, Inca terns. Raptors such as turkey vultures, owls, and peregrine falcons will also eat them. Also, if mom and dad Inca terns don’t watch their eggs and chicks closely, large seabirds may find and eat them.
Inca tern populations are threatened due to a number of causes that include overfishing by humans. Lots of people like to eat anchovies, but the Inca tern depends on these small fish to survive. If humans eat them all, the Inca tern could go extinct.
Another threat is excessive guano harvesting. Guano (seabird poop) makes great fertilizer, but if too many people are allowed to disrupt the guano islands where the Inca terns often live, their habitat could be destroyed. Fortunately, the Peruvian government has established a reserve to protect these seabirds.
10. Is the Inca tern endangered?
There were once millions of Inca terns, but now there are only about 150,000 of these seabirds remaining in the wild.
They are not endangered, but they are listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN (International Union of Conservation for Nature).
11. What do Inca terns eat?
Inca terns are piscivores. This means they eat fish. They especially like anchovies but will also eat other fish, plankton, and crustaceans (shrimp, crayfish, crab, etc.)
These seabirds obtain their food by flying over the water. When they spot their prey just under the surface, they will dive down and swoop it up in their sharp, pointed beaks.
They are also smart birds because they also follow sea lions, dolphins, whales and fishing boats to scavenge scraps. But, that’s not all. Inca terns have another way that they get food. Check out the next fact.
12. Are Inca terns kleptoparasitic?
Remember back in #7, I promised to let you in on why dolphins, sea lions, and other birds may think that Inca terns are aggressive? Well, the answer is that Inca terns are kleptoparasitic.
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07 December 2022
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