Wildlife
Forster’s tern
Sterna forsteri
Photo: Wikimedia Commons via Wikipedia
Habitat
Yellowstone Confluence
Conservation
Secure
First Observed
1806-08-07
Gull-like birds with black caps reported while in flight only. Could possibly have been Franklin’s Gulls.
Recent sightings
Where it’s being seen today
2 research-grade iNaturalist observations between 2021–2025. Most recent: 2025-09-20. Sourced from Terrain360 trail captures, cached locally.
Journal References
15 journal entries mention Forster’s tern
Jun
29
1805
Great Falls Portage — Joseph Whitehouse: June 29, 1805
...ble of
ceeder on the Islands and along the Shores. in the afternoon
we passed a large plain on the N.S. the prickley pear abound
on it. Saw otter and beaver in grea...
Jun
30
1805
Great Falls Portage — Joseph Whitehouse: June 30, 1805
... Side of the River & looks pleasant and extensive. in
the afternoon we entered in to Some rough rockey hills which
we expect from the Indian account is the commence...
Sep
1
1805
North Fork Salmon River, impassable route — Joseph Whitehouse: September 1, 1805
...errys which are verry Sweet and good at this time. in
the afternoon we descended a Mountain nearly as Steep as the
roof of a house. went down in to the valley in wh...
Jun
15
1806
Bitterroot crossing attempt, turned back by snow — Patrick Gass: June 15, 1806
...er. We had rain at
intervals during the forenoon, but the afternoon was clear.
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION — 245
We encamped ina small glade where there was plenty...
Jun
16
1806
Bitterroot crossing attempt, turned back by snow — Patrick Gass: June 16, 1806
...t two hours proceeded on again,
and had some rain. In the afternoon we found the snow
banks more numerous, extensive and deep: in some of them
the snow was as much ...
Jun
17
1806
Bitterroot crossing attempt, turned back by snow — Patrick Gass: June 17, 1806
...ng out, and the shrubs budding. It rained
hard during the afternoon. .
WV ednesday 18th. The morning was cloudy and several
showers of rain fell during the day. We ...
Jun
25
1806
Successful Bitterroot crossing with Nez Perce guides — Patrick Gass: June 25, 1806
...ht. A considerable quantity of rain had fallen during the
afternoon.
Jun
26
1806
Patrick Gass: June 26, 1806
...e all night. Some heavy showers of rain had fallen in the
afternoon.
Jun
28
1806
Successful Bitterroot crossing with Nez Perce guides — Patrick Gass: June 28, 1806
...good place of
grass; where we halted and remained all the afternoon to let
our horses feed, as they had but little grass last night. Some
hunters went out, as we sa...
Jun
30
1806
Travelers' Rest - party splits: Lewis north, Clark south — Patrick Gass: June 30, 1806
...ined on the 12th of Sept. 1805,
as we passed over to the Western ocean. After dinner we
proceeded on, and on our way found three deer that one of
the hunters had ki...
Jul
28
1806
Lewis/Clark descending Missouri/Yellowstone to reunion — Patrick Gass: July 28, 1806
...and lasted about an hour, after which we had a cloudy
wet afternoon, and in the evening we encamped about twenty
five miles below the forks.
Jul
29
1806
Lewis/Clark descending Missouri/Yellowstone to reunion — Patrick Gass: July 29, 1806
...g dined we proceeded on again, and in our way, during
the afternoon, killed seven more of these mountain sheep.
There are few other animals in this range of high co...
Jul
31
1806
Lewis/Clark descending Missouri/Yellowstone to reunion — Patrick Gass: July 31, 1806
...o mules and twelve other deer, and two
beaver. Though the afternoon was wet and disagreeable, we
came 70 miles to day.
Aug
1
1806
Lewis/Clark descending Missouri/Yellowstone to reunion — Patrick Gass: August 1, 1806
...mals would
spoil, thought it adviseable to stay here this afternoon and
dry them by a fire in these old lodges: and some of the men
went out to hunt. About an hour ...
Aug
10
1806
Lewis/Clark descending Missouri/Yellowstone to reunion — Patrick Gass: August 10, 1806
...the periogue and dressing skins, until 3 o’clock in
the afternoon, when we got the periogue completed, loaded
our craft, and at four o’clock proceeded on to the...