Gulls and terns are in the same family, Laridae. Brown Noddy Terns, Anous stolidus, often follow feeding pelicans, and sometimes even sit on heads or backs of these birds.
This is a very dark brown tern with pointed wings and long, wedge- shaped tail. The bird's dark coloring is relieved only by a whitish head and forehead. This is a common breeder throughout the archipelago and widespread in tropical seas. We find it in all the islands, flying around sea birds, and sometimes even hitchhiking on our pangas, but their favorite transportation is always a pelican.
Water temperature: 79 F