Common Tern on rocky shore.
Photo: K Vang and W Dabrowka © Bird Explorers
Common Tern in flight.
Photo: K Vang and W Dabrowka © Bird Explorers
Distribution map of Sterna hirundo
Map © Birds Australia Birdata
Common Tern
Scientific name: Sterna hirundo
Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
- Featured Bird Groups
- Sea birds
What does it look like?
Description
The Common Tern is actually common in the northern hemisphere, and is less so in Australia. When breeding the Common Tern is white, with a black crown from bill to nape extending to the bottom of the eye. The back and upperwings are grey, the rump dark brown and the bill is red, tipped black. The legs are also red. The sexes are similar. When not breeding, the forehead and underparts are white and the bill is black.
Young birds have upperparts lightly washed and mottled gingery-brown. The Common Tern is also known as the Asiatic Common Tern, Black-billed Tern or Long-winged Tern.
Similar species
The Common Tern has a deeply forked tail and is a medium-sized tern, bigger and bulkier than the Arctic Tern, S.paradisaea, and the Roseate Tern,S. dougallii, but smaller than the White-fronted Tern, S. striata.
Where does it live?
Distribution
In Australia the Common Tern is a regular non-breeding visitor. It breeds across much of northern North America, Europe and Asia as far east as the Pacific coast of Siberia, and as far south as the Mediterranean, North Africa and Central Asia. It is almost cosmopolitan (worldwide) at other times.
Habitat
The Common Tern is mainly coastal when not breeding and found in offshore waters, ocean beaches, estuaries and large lakes. Common Terns are occasionally seen in freshwater swamps, floodwaters, sewage farms and brackish and saline lakes.
Seasonal movements
The Common Tern is migratory, moving northwards for breeding. It is numerous on the north and east coasts of Australia, but rare in the far south-west.
What does it do?
Feeding
Common Terns mainly eat small marine fish, but will also eat aquatic insects and crustaceans. When fishing, the Common Tern flies above the water with its bill pointing downwards. On sighting fish it drops with partly closed wings and enters the water with little splash, often submerging completely, and emerges a moment later, shaking off the water as it flies. It sometimes picks up food from the surface of the water, from mud, or even cultivated fields.Breeding
The Common Tern breeds in temperate Europe, Asia and North America. It breeds in loose colonies or occasionally on its own, with a single brood. Common terns breed when 4 years old, occasionally younger. Both sexes share nest-building, incubation and care of young. The nest is a shallow depression, usually on bare ground, unlined or sparsely lined with twigs, seaweed, feathers, small stones and shells.
References
Pringle, J.D. 1987. The Shorebirds of Australia. Angus and Robertson and the National Photographic Index of Australian Wildlife, Sydney.
Schodde, R. and Tideman, S.C. (eds) 1990. Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds (2nd Edition). Reader's Digest (Australia) Pty Ltd, Sydney.
Morcombe, M. 2000. Field guide to Australian Birds. Steve Parish Publishing.
Higgins, P.J. and S.J.J.F. Davies (eds) 1996. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds, Volume 3 (Snipe to Pigeons). Oxford University Press, Victoria.