The Inca tern has a truly unique plumage. It is dark, almost black, with a distinctive white moustache-like tuft on each side of its head and a bright yellow patch at the base of its vivid red beak.
With its slender wings and streamlined body, the Inca tern is an elegant flier capable of plunging into the water to catch fish. It hovers above the ocean, spotting its prey — usually small fish such as anchovies.
The Inca tern often follows fishing boats to feed on discarded fish and scraps. It also trails sea lions to locate good fishing areas. Unlike most other terns, which lay their eggs on open rocky ledges, the Inca tern nests in crevices and caves in the cliffs.