- Sterna paradisaea
Identification
Length 33–39 cm, mass 76-116 g.
Breeding adult: Black forehead, nape and crown and white cheeks; the mantle, back and upper wings are grey and the collar, rump and underwing are white. The deeply forked tail is white with grey outer webs. The long bill, legs and feet are red.
Non-breeding adult and immature: Forehead white, crown streaked black and white, nape black. The bill is black and the legs and feet dark red to blackish.
Distribution
Breeds in arctic and sub-arctic Europe, Asia, and North America. Migrates to the Antarctic for another summer. Accidental in Kansas.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Habitat
Oceans. Nests on islands in the Arctic.
Behaviour
The diet includes fish and small marine invertebrates.
The nest is a depression in the ground and 1-3 mottled eggs are laid. Both parents incubate the eggs for 27 days; the young fledge after 21–24 days.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Sterna paradisaea (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Hockey, PAR, WRJ Dean, and PG Ryan, eds. 2005. Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa. 7th ed. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. ISBN 978-0620340533
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Arctic Tern. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 4 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Arctic_Tern
