Diet

• Primarily small fish, including anchovies, sardines, mullet, herring, silversides, and menhaden.

• Also feeds on shrimp, squid, and other small marine invertebrates.

• Hunts by flying over coastal waters before making shallow plunge-dives to capture prey near the surface.

• Often feeds in flocks and may associate with pelicans, dolphins, and other seabirds that drive fish into tight schools.

Range

• Found along the Atlantic, Gulf, Caribbean, and Pacific coasts of the Americas, as well as the west coast of Africa.

• Along the Pacific coast of Mexico, including the Zihuatanejo region, it is a common year-round resident, with numbers increasing during migration and winter.

• Inhabits beaches, estuaries, bays, coastal lagoons, harbours, mudflats, and offshore waters.

• Breeds colonially on sandy islands and remote beaches.

Male / Female

• Male: Pale gray upperparts, white underparts, shaggy black breeding crest, long bright orange bill, and black legs. Slightly larger with a heavier bill.

• Female: Nearly identical in plumage but generally smaller with a slightly shorter, more slender bill.

• Non-breeding adults: White forehead with a reduced shaggy black crest on the back of the head.

• Juveniles: Similar to non-breeding adults but with mottled gray-brown markings on the wings and back.

• Sexes cannot be reliably distinguished in the field except by subtle size and bill differences.

Size

• Length: 45–50 cm (18–20 in)

• Wingspan: 125–135 cm (49–53 in)

• Weight: 350–500 g (12.3–17.6 oz)