Inca terns often gather in the thousands. They roost on sandy beaches with flocks of Grey and Franklin’s gulls and share breeding islands with Guanay, cormorants and pelicans. Inca terns often accompany fishing cormorants, sea lions and cetaceans. They are quarrelsome and steal from other birds and try to snatch food from between the teeth of the sea lions. Graceful and agile, Inca terns fly on steady wing beats with the head pointed down scanning the ocean’s surface for fish. They hover before swooping low to snatch their food from the water’s surface. Occasionally, Inca terns will dive into the water and immediately fly out with their catch. Rarely do Inca terns land on the water. Molting occurs in the spring and autumn.