Taxonomy
The Royal Tern belongs to the class Aves and the order Charadriiformes. Charadriiformes are mainly seabirds of small to medium-large size. The Royal Tern is also in the family Sternidae because of its white plumage, black cap on its head, long bill, webbed feet, and bodies that are more stream line than those of gulls.
The taxonomy of the Royal Tern has been debated, whether the correct scientific name was Thalasseus maximus or Sterna maxima. It is presently classified as Thalasseus maximus, which places it with five other seabirds that are in the tern family. The Royal Tern was originally placed in the genus Sterna; however, a 2005 study suggest that it is actually part of the genus Thalasseus. The Royal Tern is currently divided into two subspecies: Sterna maxima maxima and Sterna maxima albididorsalis. T. m. maxima is found on the East Coast of North America and is referred to as the "New World" species. T. m. albidorsalis, referred to as the "Old World" species, is found on the Atlantic coast of North America, the Caribbean Islands, the East Coast of South America, and in the West coast of Africa.
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