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How do terns catch fish and crustaceans?

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Illustration of a crab plover (Dromas ardeola), showing a slender wading bird with long legs, a long pointed black bill, white head and underparts, and contrasting black wings and back. — Charadriiform Crab plover (Dromas ardeola)

Terns primarily catch fish and crustaceans while on the wing, utilizing several distinct feeding behaviors:12

Plunging: They hover over the water and dive through the air to plunge into the water to capture prey near the surface.12
Swooping: They may swoop low over the water to pick up fish directly during flight.1
Hawking: While over land, they may also hunt by hawking insects.12

These birds are characterized by their straight, sharp bills, which are well-adapted for these methods of food procurement. While their diet consists mainly of small fish and crustaceans, they are also known to eat insects on occasion.12