The Tern's Turns

The other day, on my way home from work, I witnessed a show of almost epic proportions.  Two of the most beautiful birds on the island are the white tern and the frigate bird. Both are breathtakingly beautiful in flight.  A white tern and a frigate bird, which is more than twice the size of the white tern, were engaged is a mesmerizing aerial combat. The frigate bird was about two feet behind the white tern. Until that day I thought the white tern was the most skillful bird in aeronautics on the island. The frigate bird is most usually seen soaring most elegantly. But in this intense encounter, the frigate bird matched the white tern, high speed turn for turn. 

Frigate birds are opportunists, and from what I have observed of them, they may have a little mean streak in them. We were in Holbox, Mexico a few years back and I watched the frigate birds, soaring over the crowd of ocean birds, waiting for another bird to catch a fish. When another bird caught a fish, the frigate birds would dive on them and steal the catch. Then, the frigate birds would fight amongst themselves over the ill-gotten gains.

The white tern is most commonly observed in spectacular aerial ballet with a partner. I characterize its flying behavior as artful and stunning. The frigate bird, I see as being a bully. I can only imagine that the white tern was terrified, and was using every bit of its extraordinary flying prowess to avoid being taken by the frigate bird. I am sorry that I never witnessed the resolution of the combat between the frigate bird and the white tern. The last I saw them was when they disappeared over the ocean, geeing and hawing, rising and falling, at blinding speeds. I'll never forget THAT show!