pueo's photos

Flying High - A Midway White Tern

I was looking though my Midway photos again and came across another friendly white tern. On Midway the little birds often fly nearby to check you out. When the white terns approach, they make a sound that is much like the plucking of a rubber-band. They often hover just out beyond arm's length and then deftly swoop in for a closer look. Some say they may even come in and land on your head or an outstretched arm if you're patient enough. Although this never actually happened to me, I think their willingness to approach humans makes such contact possible.

btw- Recently, the White Tern, one of the few sea birds commonly found around Honolulu, has become Honolulu's official bird.