Sandwich Tern Feeds Juvenile on Wintering Grounds in Southern Namibia

Abstract

The duration of parental care varies widely among bird species. The crested terns Thalasseus spp. continue to feed their chicks at least sporadically for several months after fledgling. We recorded provisioning of a juvenile Sandwich Tern T. sandvicensis by its suspected parent at the wintering grounds in southern Namibia, more than 10,000 km away from the nearest breeding site and more than six months after fledging.