Sterna hirundo
The Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) is a graceful and widespread seabird, instantly recognizable by its sleek, aerodynamic form and distinctive flight. Averaging 32-39 cm (12.6-15.4 in) in length with a wingspan of 75-85 cm (29.5-33.5 in) and weighing 90-150 g (3.2-5.3 oz), adults in breeding plumage boast pearl-grey upperparts, pristine white underparts, a jet-black cap extending to the nape, and a bright red-orange bill with a prominent black tip. Their long, pointed wings and deeply forked ta...
Common Terns primarily inhabit coastal areas, including barrier islands, sandy beaches, salt marshes, and rocky shores. They also utilize large inland lakes, major rivers, and reservoirs, generally preferring low-lying, open environments near water.
Their diet primarily consists of small fish, such as sand eels, herring, and silversides, caught by plunge-diving. They also consume crustaceans and insects, especially during inland breeding or migration.
Common Terns are highly social and diurnal, typically roosting in large, dense flocks on secluded beaches, sandbars, or artificial structures like dikes and piers when not foraging. Their primary foraging strategy involves aerial plunge-diving; they hover gracefully over the water, eyes fixed on ...
The Common Tern boasts an impressive Holarctic breeding distribution, spanning across North America, Europe, and Asia. In North America, they breed along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts from eastern Canada south to the Caribbean, across the Great Lakes region, and in scattered colonies along inland ...
Least Concern
- The Common Tern is one of the most widely distributed tern species globally, breeding across North America, Europe, and Asia, and wintering as far south as Australia and South America. - They undertake one of the longest migratory journeys of any bird, with some individuals covering over 30,000...