Antarctic Tern

Photo by Max Holdt
Kleinmond, Cape, South Africa, December 2004

Sterna vittata

Identification

31-38 cm.

• Pale grey and white
• Black cap when breeding otherwise streaked with white
• Greyish black wing tips
• Dark red or blackish bill.
  

Juveniles:belly, foreneck, forehead, and breast are white. Grey back, black bill, orange-red legs and feet.

Distribution

Photo by Clark Dave Clark
Godthul on South Georgia Island, January 2012

Southern Oceans.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

There are 6 subspecies^[1]:

• S. v. tristanensis:

• Tristan da Cunha, Gough Island; Amsterdam Island and (possibly) St. Paul Island

• S. v. georgiae:

• South Georgia Island; possibly South Orkney and South Sandwich islands

• S. v. gaini:

• South Shetland Islands

• S. v. vittata:

• Prince Edward, Marion, Crozet and Kerguelen islands

• S. v. bethunei:

• Stewart, Snares, Auckland, Bounty, Antipodes, Campbell islands

• S. v. macquariensis:

• Macquarie Island

S. v. macquariensis is not recognised by all authorities^[2]

Habitat

Coasts and sea.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet includes fish.

Breeding

Up to 3 eggs are laid in a shallow pebble-or shell-lined scrape on the ground, between October and January.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2012. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. Avibase
3. Wikipedia]]

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Antarctic Tern. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 16 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Antarctic_Tern

External Links

Search for photos of Antarctic Tern in the gallery