The whie patch above the beak helps differentiate this tern from others.
Snowy Plovers are the smallest of the shorebirds. They nest on the dunes and are vulnerable to being trampled by people and by being harassed by dogs; many communities ban dogs from thier beaches for this reason.
This bird is in its summer breeding colors, in the winter the head is white. The distinctive call sounds like the birds are laughing, giving them their common name.
