• East view from Crissy Field overlook with old Coast Guard station on left and city on right

    Presidio of San Francisco

    California

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  • CAUTION: Post Storm Damage to Coastal Trail

    The Presidio Coastal Trail segment just north of the Pacific Overlook and adjacent to Lincoln Blvd remains CLOSED indefinitely. We have posted signage to alert bicyclists and hikers and with information for safe trail alternatives. More »

Forster's Tern

(Sterna forsteri)
 
Forster,s terns
Forster's Terns at the old Coast Guard pier near Crissy Field.
Will Elder, NPS
 

Natural History: The Forster's Tern eats small fish, insects, aquatic invertebrates and frogs. This bird nests near water on the ground in depressions lined with grass, soil or shells. It frequents freshwater and saltwater marshes as well as ponds and lakes.

General Distribution: In the Presidio, this species is found along the coast, particularly off Crissy Field where it displays breeding behavior in the spring.

Frequency: This bird is common throughout the year at the Presidio.

Identifying Characteristics: This moderately-small tern has a orange beak tipped in black. It has a black cap and nape.

Presidio Birds main page

Did You Know?

Jonathan Letterman

Major Jonathan Letterman--after whom the hospital at the Presidio was renamed in 1911--was the medical director of the Army of the Potomac. A founding father of military medicine, Letterman organized forward first-aid stations, mobile field hospitals, and ambulance services during the Civil War.