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Inca Tern

Larosterna inca

A dark gray seabird of Peru and Chile with a red bill and curly white "mustache" feathers.

🐦 Seabirds
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About the Inca Tern

Inca terns live on coastal islands off Peru and Chile. They are about 16 inches tall and weigh 6 to 8 ounces. They swoop down from the air to snatch anchovies and other tiny fish from the top few inches of the water, and they also eat scraps from fishing boats. Because Humboldt penguins feed deeper, the two can share the same fishing waters.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Larosterna inca[2]
Size
About 16 inches tall.[1]
Weight
6 to 8 ounces.[1]
Diet
Small fish such as anchovies, plus scraps from fishing boats.[1]
Habitat
Coastal islands and cliffs.[1]
Where it lives
Coasts of Peru and Chile.[1]
Babies
One or two chicks; eggs hatch in about four weeks.[1]
Conservation status
Near Threatened (IUCN Red List, assessed 2018).[2]

Fun facts

  • Inca terns have white "mustache" feathers.[1]
  • They sometimes nest in old penguin burrows.[1]
  • Their call sounds like a cackling laugh.[1]

Vocabulary

tern
A slender seabird that dives or swoops to catch fish.
piscivore
An animal that eats mostly fish.
burrow
A hole or tunnel in the ground used as a home.
colony
A large group of animals of one kind that live or nest together.
near threatened
A conservation label meaning a species may soon be at risk of dying out if things don't improve.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] Oregon Zoo. “Inca tern.” https://www.oregonzoo.org/animals/inca-tern (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Larosterna inca (Inca Tern).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22694834/132576903 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.