Gygis
Encyclopedia
Gygis is a genus of bird
s in the tern
family. It consists of one species,
The Little White Tern is usually considered to be a subspecies, G. a. microrhyncha, of the White Tern.
These are small, all white terns of tropical oceans. They nest on coral
islands, usually on trees with thin branches but also on rocky ledges and on man-made structures. They feed on small fish
caught by plunge diving.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s in the tern
Tern
Terns are seabirds in the family Sternidae, previously considered a subfamily of the gull family Laridae . They form a lineage with the gulls and skimmers which in turn is related to skuas and auks...
family. It consists of one species,
- White TernWhite TernThe White Tern is a small seabird found across the tropical oceans of the world. It is sometimes known as the Fairy Tern although this name is potentially confusing as it is the common name of the Fairy Tern Sternula nereis...
, Gygis alba- Little White TernLittle White TernThe Little White Tern or Little Fairy Tern is a subspecies of tern . It is sometimes considered a distinct species most closely related to the larger White Tern. It is found in French Polynesia and Kiribati.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007....
, Gygis alba microrhyncha
- Little White Tern
The Little White Tern is usually considered to be a subspecies, G. a. microrhyncha, of the White Tern.
These are small, all white terns of tropical oceans. They nest on coral
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
islands, usually on trees with thin branches but also on rocky ledges and on man-made structures. They feed on small fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
caught by plunge diving.
External links
- White Tern videos on the Internet Bird Collection