55,336 observationsLeast Concern
Common Tern
Sterna hirundo
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia βΊPhylum: Chordata βΊClass: Aves βΊOrder: Charadriiformes βΊFamily: Laridae βΊGenus: Sterna
About
The common tern (Sterna hirundo) is a seabird in the family Laridae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution, its four subspecies breeding in temperate and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America. It is strongly migratory, wintering in coastal tropical and subtropical regions. Breeding adults have light grey upperparts, white to very light grey underparts, a black cap, orange-red legs, and a narrow pointed bill. Depending on the subspecies, the bill may be mostly red...