roseate tern
noun
: a medium-sized tern (Sterna dougallii) that is widespread at sea and in coastal areas of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans and that has a faint roseate tinge to the breast in the breeding season
Examples of roseate tern in a Sentence
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Conservationists estimate the island is home to around 2,500 pairs of common terns and about 35 pairs of roseate terns.
—
Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2025
The roseate tern, one of a handful of federally endangered and protected bird species in Connecticut, has about 95% of its population in the state on the island each summer.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2025
Several species, including black skimmers, least terns, roseate terns and American oystercatchers, have taken to nesting on the plentiful gravel rooftops of buildings near the waterfront.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
Plum Island is home to 227 species of birds, including piping plovers, roseate terns, Northern harriers, ospreys and American oystercatchers, according to Save the Sound’s Envision Plum Island Report.
—Ed Stannard, Hartford Courant, 19 June 2024
One endangered species being monitored is the roseate tern on Buzzards Bay off the coast of Massachusetts.
—New York Times, 17 June 2022
Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included a royal tern, 5 parasitic jaegers, 1,100 laughing gulls, 2 least terns, 175 roseate terns, 2,800 common terns, 4 species of shearwater, and 2 common ravens.
—BostonGlobe.com, 24 Sep. 2019
At Gooseberry Neck, there were 84 black scoters, three ruddy turnstones, three roseate terns, a great shearwater, a Northern gannet, two cliff swallows, and two orchard orioles.
—BostonGlobe.com, 30 June 2019
Race Point sightings included a little gull and a royal tern, as well as 3 American oystercatchers, 14 piping plovers, 2 parasitic jaegers, 425 least terns, 3 black terns, 26 roseate terns, and 7 Manx shearwaters.
—BostonGlobe.com, 24 June 2019
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Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2025
The roseate tern, one of a handful of federally endangered and protected bird species in Connecticut, has about 95% of its population in the state on the island each summer.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2025
Several species, including black skimmers, least terns, roseate terns and American oystercatchers, have taken to nesting on the plentiful gravel rooftops of buildings near the waterfront.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
Plum Island is home to 227 species of birds, including piping plovers, roseate terns, Northern harriers, ospreys and American oystercatchers, according to Save the Sound’s Envision Plum Island Report.
—Ed Stannard, Hartford Courant, 19 June 2024
One endangered species being monitored is the roseate tern on Buzzards Bay off the coast of Massachusetts.
—New York Times, 17 June 2022
Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included a royal tern, 5 parasitic jaegers, 1,100 laughing gulls, 2 least terns, 175 roseate terns, 2,800 common terns, 4 species of shearwater, and 2 common ravens.
—BostonGlobe.com, 24 Sep. 2019
At Gooseberry Neck, there were 84 black scoters, three ruddy turnstones, three roseate terns, a great shearwater, a Northern gannet, two cliff swallows, and two orchard orioles.
—BostonGlobe.com, 30 June 2019
Race Point sightings included a little gull and a royal tern, as well as 3 American oystercatchers, 14 piping plovers, 2 parasitic jaegers, 425 least terns, 3 black terns, 26 roseate terns, and 7 Manx shearwaters.
—BostonGlobe.com, 24 June 2019
Cite this Entry
“Roseate tern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roseate%20tern. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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