This large tern breeds along the West African coast. A study tracking 20 adults at a breeding colony in Guinea-Bissau recorded use of shallow waters and upwelling areas, as well as movements suggesting feeding at night.
In the photographed nonbreeding adult, black is confined to the rear crest and the forehead appears white. The wings look duller than in breeding plumage, and the bill may appear pale yellow rather than bright orange.
At the studied colony, tracked adults averaged about two foraging trips per day, with trips averaging roughly 100 km. They mainly used shallow waters, usually under 10 m deep, and upwelling areas; nocturnal movements suggest some feeding at night.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.