Sounds

Development

Soft peep notes audible in egg just before pipping begins; sharp, metallic peek at hatching becomes louder, longer, and more staccato with age. Chicks also give short peek alarm call when disturbed or picked up, and cheeping distress call when chilled. By about 2 d old, give begging call— ki-ki-ki-ki-ki —accompanied by head-pumping when adult approaches with fish; this call becomes louder, longer, and more insistent with age. By about 10 d, chick responds with high-pitched contact call— chi-vi —to calling parent delivering fish, whereby adult locates chick in dense cover. Fledgling and juvenile have higher-pitched version of adult Advertising Call (see below)— kri-vri; give this call constantly while accompanying flying parent. First-summer and even 2-yr-old birds have more grating Advertising Call than adults have (ICTN).

Vocal Array

The following is based on descriptions by Cramp (1985) and personal observations; no regional differences yet documented. Both sexes highly vocal at breeding colony and in feeding flocks; vocal behavior in migration and on wintering ground needs study. Roseates give loud pink and ki-rik notes; sharper and higher-pitched, but less loud or harsh than Common Tern calls. In Caribbean, single-species Roseate Tern colonies are generally quieter than colonies of other terns, except when disturbed (Burger and Gochfeld 1988a). Usually some vocalizations in colony, regardless of whether mixed-species or single-species; silent during panic flights.

Species-distinctive calls aid identification and documentation of occurrence at mixed colonies.

Flight Call. A sharp single note— keek —given in flight, e.g., when foraging in loose flocks, or in ascent phase of High Flight (see Behavior: sexual behavior, below); probably reflects low-intensity aggression (Cullen 1960).

Advertising Call. Disyllabic chi-vik or ki-rik; given in flight—e.g., when carrying fish for mate or young. Varies widely in tone and intensity depending on context; excited ki-RIK-chi-vik-chi-vik-chi-vik in Low Flight (see Behavior: sexual behavior, below).

Low-Intensity Alarm Call. Musical, descending kliu note; given when intruder approaches nesting area, but not near nest, also louder kyeep (Fig. 3A).

High-Intensity Alarm Call. Harsh aaach or kraak (Fig. 3B), like tearing cloth with raspy quality on single pitch; given when mobbing intruder near nest, over mammalian predators, or over marine mammals or other threatening objects in water.

Gakkering. Guttural, cackling ke-KE-ke-keck-ke-KE-ke-keck (accented every fourth syllable); directed to adversary as part of Gakkering Display (see Behavior: agonistic behavior, below).

Attack Call. Staccato kekekekekekekeke; sometimes given in swoop toward intruder, terminating in harsh aaach at closest approach.

Broody Call. Crooning kurr-kurr-kurr; given while scraping with mate or brooding small chicks.

Copulation Call. Ducklike quacking— gwa-gwa-gwa-gwa; uttered continuously by male while mounted. Only known sex-specific vocalization.

None described.