Photo: Hertha56 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaea
Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) is a member of the Laridae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 110 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Laridae Gulls, Terns, Skimmers
- Genus Sterna
- Species paradisaea
Where it lives
Widespread Arctic and subarctic coasts and inland, from Greenland, Iceland and British Isles to northeastern Siberia, Sakhalin and Kamchatka (eastern Russia), Aleutian Is., Alaska mainland through Arctic and subarctic Canada to James Bay, southeastern Canada and New York
Quick facts
- Weight
- 110 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Laridae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Arctic Tern hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of coastal habitats, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Arctic Tern is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) is a species of gulls, terns, skimmers in the family Laridae, order Charadriiformes. It is found in Europe & Northern Asia, North America — widespread Arctic and subarctic coasts and inland, from Greenland, Iceland and British Isles to ne Siberia, Sakhalin and Kamchatka (e Russia), Aleutian Is., Alaska mainland through Arctic and subarctic Canada to James Bay, se Canada and New York.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Arctic Tern?
The Arctic Tern is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 110 g.
Where does the Arctic Tern live?
The Arctic Tern is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering PAL, NA widespread Arctic and subarctic coasts and inland, from Greenland, Iceland and British Isles to ne Siberia, Sakhalin and Kamchatka (e Russia), Aleutian Is., Alaska mainland through Arctic and subarctic Canada to James Bay, se Canada and New York, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Arctic Tern belong to?
The Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Arctic Tern eat?
The Arctic Tern hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Arctic Tern migrate?
The Arctic Tern is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Arctic Tern endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Arctic Tern make?
1 real field recording of the Arctic Tern — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Arctic Tern's range?
The Arctic Tern has a mapped global range of about 10.4 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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