Sandwich tern / Brandseeschwalbe (Thalasseus sandvicensis)

Sandwich tern in flight with distinct yellow tipped bill. 2023-09-27 12.28.34 Florida
Classification: Genus Thalasseus; Family Gulls (Laridae)
This bird appears across the great seas in the following continents: Europe, North America, South America, Africa.
General: The Sandwich tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)^[2] is a tern in the family Laridae. It is very closely related to the lesser crested tern (T. bengalensis), Chinese crested tern (T. bernsteini), Cabot's tern (T. acuflavidus), and elegant tern (T. elegans) and has been known to interbreed with the lesser crested. It breeds in the Palearctic from Europe to the Caspian Sea wintering to South Africa, India and Sri Lanka. [more]
Calls: Contact call a sharp and grating "keeree-eek". Often compared to the pressing of amalgam into a tooth. [Link]
Physical details: length=36-41 cm, wingspan=95-105 cm, weight=215-275 g
Habitats: River and lake

First documented observation : 2018-03-11 in Costa Rica.