Common Tern Photo Gallery

Breeding adult (hirundo/tibetana)

Medium-sized tern with deeply forked tail. Breeding adults across most of the range have a gray belly, full black cap, and reddish bill. The upper side of the outer primaries is dark gray, creating a dark wingtip.

Breeding adult (hirundo/tibetana)

Medium-sized tern with a slender, straight bill. Tail is about the same length as the folded wings. Breeding adults in the widespread "hirundo/tibetana" subspecies group (which occurs in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia) usually have a grayish chest, a bright red, black-tipped bill, and red legs.

Adult and juveniles

Breeding adults have a neat black cap and red bill with black tip. In this image, note the long crossed wingtips (above) about the same length as the forked tail (below). Nests in the open on beaches.

Breeding adult (longipennis)

Breeding adults in the "longipennis" subspecies group have a black bill and black (or dark brown) legs. This subspecies group breeds in northeastern Asia and occurs as a vagrant in western Alaska.

Nonbreeding adult (hirundo/tibetana)

Nonbreeding adults lose the front portion of their black cap, showing a white forehead and black hindcrown. Legs and bill turn blackish as winter progresses. Note tail does not extend beyond wingtips at rest.

Immature (hirundo/tibetana)

Immatures and nonbreeding adults have a distinctive black bar on the leading edge of the wing, known as a carpal bar. Tail does not extend beyond wingtips.

Immature (longipennis)

Immature birds in the "longipennis" group have a black bill, white forehead, dark carpal bar on the wing, and dark legs.

Juvenile (hirundo/tibetana)

Juveniles have a faint brownish wash to the back and a partial black cap that extends to the crown. They also have a dark leading edge to the wing, or carpal bar.

Nonbreeding adult (hirundo/tibetana)

Flies with wingtips swept back with rowing wingbeats. Nonbreeding adults have a white forehead and black on the crown and behind the eye, with blackish bill. Note the black wedge on the upper side of the wingtips.

Breeding adult (hirundo/tibetana)

Medium-sized tern with deeply forked tail. Outer primaries form a dark wedge on the upper side of the wingtips. Wings are slender, swept back, and narrow at the base.

Immature (hirundo/tibetana)

Immature birds lack the long tail feathers of breeding adults and appear darker in flight, with more black in the wings and tail.

Nonbreeding adult (longipennis)

Nonbreeding "longipennis" adults develop a white forehead but are otherwise similar to breeding adults. This subspecies group spends the nonbreeding season in the eastern Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, and along the Australian coast.

Immature (longipennis)

Terns fly gracefully with rowing wingbeats over open waters, diving down to pick fish from or just below the water's surface.

Habitat

Occurs along shorelines, barrier islands, and estuaries, as well as on large inland lakes. In coastal areas, typically less numerous in brackish areas than along the ocean shore.