A plump young royal tern (Thalasseus maximus) looks to its mother (left) for food on a sandy beach along the Gulf of Mexico on Longboat Key in Sarasota County, Florida, USA. Until making their first flight four to five weeks after birth, young birds wait on shore for their parents to feed them. Both male and female adults hover over the seawater and then plunge beneath it to bring back fish which they will regurgitate to their single offspring. The parents recognize the particular call of their youngster seeking food and feed only their own young.
A plump young royal tern (Thalasseus maximus) looks to its mother (left) for food on a sandy beach along the Gulf of Mexico on Longboat Key in Sarasota County, Florida, USA. Until making their first flight four to five weeks after birth, young birds wait on shore for their parents to feed them. Both male and female adults hover over the seawater and then plunge beneath it to bring back fish which they will regurgitate to their single offspring. The parents recognize the particular call of their youngster seeking food and feed only their own young.
Size: 3400px × 2550px
Location: Longboat Key, Sarasota County, Florida, USA
Photo credit: © Michele and Tom Grimm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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