Rare White Tern Spotted on St. Croix: Only Second Sighting Ever in the West Indies

A rare White Tern, only the second ever recorded in the West Indies, was spotted at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge on Aug. 11 by Jennifer Valiulis, executive director of the St. Croix Environmental Association.

This extraordinary discovery highlights the critical importance of wildlife refuges like Sandy Point in providing sanctuary for lost and exhausted birds, the association announced.

A Rare Encounter at Sandy Point

Valiulis was on a routine sea turtle track patrol along the southwest shore of St. Croix when something unusual happened — a completely white bird hovered above her dog, following them along the beach. The bird’s graceful, floating behavior was unlike anything she had seen before, according to the press release. “I first assumed it was a Least Tern,” Valiulis recalls. “But as I looked closer, I realized the markings weren’t right.”