Six species of gulls and four of terns frequent the coastal zone of Lake Huron. Some are rarely seen and a few others are only seen in the winter. All depend on minnows, small fish, carrion, garbage and hand outs for food. They usually breed on small rocky islands, which Lake Huron has in abundance. The group is easy to distinguish by the smooth, pumping wing beats, which are a bit faster on the downward stroke, often followed by a glide.
Terns resemble gulls but have black caps and forked tails.
They are more slender too. The Caspian Tern, shown here is a large tern with a red, stout bill and the black does not go down the back of the neck. It is common to Lake Huron in spring, breeds in some areas, and is seen irregularly in summer through winter. The Common Tern, below, is smaller and the black cap extends down the nape. The bill is also more orange and tail more forked.