Inca Tern

Larosterna inca

Inca Terns are best known for their white “mustaches,” found on both male and female birds. Unfortunately, Inca Tern numbers are decreasing in South America, largely as a result of declining fish populations. Nesting on rocky cliffs in the wild, the El Paso Zoo’s Inca Terns show the same behavior in the rock work upon entering the Aviary.

Fun Facts

• The Inca tern feeds primarily on small fish, such as anchovies.
• The Inca tern breeds on rocky cliffs. It nests in a hollow or burrow or sometimes the old nest of a Humboldt penguin, and lays one or two eggs.
• Inca Tern young don’t grow their iconic “mustaches” until they are around two years old.
• They get their name from the ancient Inca empire.
• Scientists have found that the longer an Inca Tern’s “mustache” is, the healthier they are.