White Tern - Gygis alba

I couldn't help but chuckle the first time I saw this bird. My wife, Cynthia, and I were strolling around Kapiolani Park in Honolulu when we spotted this tern gracefully flying overhead. Somehow it looked different from the other terns we've seen. First of all it has a black narrow pointed bill which contrasted with an all white body. Add to that a roundish head that is atypical of its avian family.

The reason I smiled is because somehow it reminded me of the spokesperson of the famous fast food joint Jack-in-the-Box. That black pointy nose and white round head has an uncanny resemblance to the seabird we just saw.

This bird is officially called the White Tern (Gygis alba). I said "officially" because it is also called Fairy Tern and even Angel Tern. Somehow I tend to agree more with the latter name. A photo I took somehow supports my choice.

The White Tern inhabits islands in the tropical and subtropical waters of the south Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean and western and central Pacific. Breeds on small islands made of coral with some degree of vegetation, where it nests and roosts in trees of dense forest with thin branches, but also on rocky ledges and on man-made structures. (from identify.whatbird.com)