The Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia) is cosmopolitan in its distribution. In North America it breeds from eastern Washington, east to the Great Lakes, James Bay and along the Atlantic coast from Newfound and south to Florida and Texas. It winters from central California south to Baja California and from North Carolina south along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts to eastern Mexico, northern Columbia and Venezuela (ADU Checklist of North American Birds, 1983). It is considered primarily a coastal migrant, less frequently using large rivers in the interior (ADU Checklist). In Alabama, Imhof (1976, Alabama Birds) considers it a common winter visitor and an uncommon migrant along the larger river valleys, especially in fall. In recent years it has bred in small numbers on Gailliard Island in Mobile Bay.