An Inca Tern in the Hawaiian Islands: First Record for Hawaii and the United States

Abstract

An Inca Tern (Larosterna inca) was observed and photographed at several locations in the Hawaiian Islands from 10 March 2021 to 8 January 2022, constituting the northernmost and westernmost record for this species, which breeds on the Pacific coast of South America, and the first for the United States. Here I provide details about the appearance and inter-island movements of this individual, along with evidence indicating that only a single individual was involved in all sightings. The Hawaiian Islands occurrence, along with recent documentation of the Inca Tern in Central America north to Guatemala, points to yet another South American seabird moving north with increasing frequency in the Pacific Ocean.