COMMENTS ON Short-legged 'Mystery Tern' (Sterna sp.)

Although the bird appears short-legged, thus resembling an Arctic Tern, it is a Common Tern that is clearly missing its right foot. The left foot is intact but the leg appears shorter because it is positioned at a different angle, apparently to compensate for the bird's weight, which is shifted to the left leg. The bird walked with a shuffling limp in which some of the bird's weight was shifted to the right stump.