北部亞種T. b. velox和T. b. thalassina的繁殖羽從5月到9月或10月,而南部非洲的兩個種族的相應時期為12月到4月。對於T. b. cristata,換羽時間取決於位置;來自澳大利亞和大洋洲的鳥類在9月至約4月之間具有繁殖羽,而在泰國、中國和蘇拉威西的鳥類從2月到6月或7月呈現這種外觀。[12]
鳳頭燕鷗分佈於從南非圍繞印度洋到太平洋和澳大利亞的舊大陸熱帶和溫暖的溫帶海岸地區。亞種T. b. bergii和T. b. enigma在南非的納米比亞至坦桑尼亞繁殖,也可能在馬達加斯加周圍的島嶼上繁殖。然後,其繁殖區分佈在索馬利亞和紅海之間有一個中斷點,在東部進入南部印度的地區又有另一個間斷。[9]
所有鳳頭燕鷗的族群在繁殖後都會遷徙。當南非的鳥類離開納米比亞和西開普省的繁殖地時,大多數成鳥會向東移動至南非的印度洋海岸線。許多年輕的鳥類也向東移動,有時超過2,000 km(1,200 mi),但也有一些鳥類沿著西海岸向北移動。T. b. thalassina 在東非沿海過冬,向北至肯尼亞和索馬利亞,有時可南達德班。從波斯灣向東繁殖的T. b. velox群落似乎是定居或散居的,而非真正的遷徙,但在紅海繁殖的鳥類則在東非沿海過冬至肯尼亞。[13]T. b. cristata大多數留在其繁殖地400 km(250 mi)範圍內,但有些鳥類游蕩至約1,000 km(620 mi)。[18] 這種物種曾作為迷鳥出現在夏威夷、[19]紐西蘭、[20][21]北韓、[20]約旦和以色列。[15]
^Adapted from Bridge et al. (2005). This study did not include the Chinese crested tern
^This genus had originally been created by Heinrich Boie in 1822, but had been abandoned until the Bridge (2005) study confirmed the need for a separate genus for the crested terns.
^Skerrett, Adrian; Bullock, I.; Disley, T. Birds of Seychelles. London: Christopher Helm. 2001: 230. ISBN 0-7136-3973-3.
^Pratt, H. Douglas; Bruner, P.; Berrett, D. The Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 1987: 178. ISBN 0-691-08402-5.
^ 18.018.1Carrick, R.; Wheeler, W. R.; Murray, M. D. Seasonal dispersal and mortality in the Silver Gull, Larus novae-hollandiae Stephens, and Crested tern, Sterna bergii Lichstein, in Australia. Wildlife Research. 1957, 2 (2): 116–144. doi:10.1071/CWR9570116.
^Walker, T. A. A record Crested Tern Sterna bergii colony and concentrated breeding by seabirds in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Emu. 1992, 92 (3): 152–156. Bibcode:1992EmuAO..92..152W. doi:10.1071/MU9920152.
^Crested Tern. Fact Sheets. Australian Museum. [5 July 2008]. (原始内容存档于13 November 2008).
^Dunlop, J. N. Social-behavior and colony formation in a population of crested terns, Sterna bergii, in southwestern Australia. Australian Wildlife Research. 1987, 14 (4): 529–540. doi:10.1071/WR9870529.
^Davies, S. J. J. F.; Carrick, R. On the ability of crested terns, Sterna bergii, to recognize their own chicks. Australian Journal of Zoology. 1962, 10 (2): 171–177. doi:10.1071/ZO9620171.
^Parsons, Nola J.; Tjørve, Kathy M. C.; Underhill, Les G.; Strauss, Venessa. The rehabilitation of Swift Terns Sterna bergii incapacitated by marine foam on Robben Island, South Africa. Ostrich: Journal of African Ornithology. April 2006, 77 (1–2): 95–98. Bibcode:2006Ostri..77...95P. S2CID 86179144. doi:10.2989/00306520609485514.
^Blaber, S. J. M.; Milton, D. A.; Farmer, M. J.; Smith, G. C. Seabird breeding populations on the far northern Great Barrier Reef, Australia: trends and influences. Emu. 1998, 98 (1): 44–57. Bibcode:1998EmuAO..98...44B. doi:10.1071/MU98006.
^Varela, F. J.; Palacios, A. G.; Goldsmith T. M. (1993) "Vision, Brain, and Behavior in Birds" in Harris, Philip; Bischof, Hans-Joachim Vision, Brain, and Behavior in Birds: a comparative review Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press 77–94 ISBN0-262-24036-X