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Common Tern | Daily Animal Facts

Animal profile

Common Tern

Sterna hirundo

AvesCoastal beaches, islands, lakes and rivers; winters along tropical and southern coastsLeast Concern

Field profile

The common tern is a slender, sharp-winged seabird with a black cap and a red bill tipped in black. It nests colonially on beaches, gravel islands and salt marsh, plunging for small fish in shallow water. It is one of the most widespread terns in the northern hemisphere.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2023-09-13

Common Tern

Common tern colonies mob intruders as a group

A single common tern is no threat to a fox or a gull. A colony is different: dozens of birds rise together, dive at the intruder's head, and strike hard enough to draw blood, which is why nesting islands are marked off during the breeding season.

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