AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

Thalasseus bergii.

Thalasseus bergii.

Sterna bergii Lichtenstein, Verz. Douhl., p. 80 (1823) (Cape of Good Hope).

This, the typical form, is separated easily from all others by the pale colour of the mantle, which is also a purer grey with less brown tinge in it. Mathews has gone very carefully into this species in his c Birds of Australia' *. In this he gives three forms as occurring in India: S.b.velox from the Red Sea and occurring as a straggler in India, S. b. bakeri from the Mekran coast etc., and S. b. edwardsi from Ceylon. In my original review of this genus, when writing my catalogue I rejected S. b. bakeri but a further examination shows that this bird has a decidedly stouter bill than velox and must be maintained.

Key to Subspecies.

A. Larger ; wing 340 to 385 mm., culmen 60 to 71 mm.
a. Paler……………….T. b. velox, p. 120.
b Darker……………….T. b. bakeri, p. 122.
B. Smaller; wing 300 to 357 mm., culmen 57 to 70 mm.
c. Darker……………….T. b. edwardsi, p. 122.
d. Paler……………….T. b. cristata, p. 123.

BookTitle: 
The Fauna Of British India, Including Ceylon And Burma-birds(second Edition)
Reference: 
Baker, EC S (1922–1930) The fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Second edition. vol.6 1929.
Title in Book: 
Thalasseus bergii.
Book Author: 
Edward Charles Stuart Baker
Year: 
1929
Page No: 
120
M_ID: 
4588
M_CN: 
Greater Crested Tern
M_SN: 
Thalasseus bergii
Volume: 
Vol. 6
Term name: 
id: 
4912

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Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith