Photo: graham_winterflood / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Shorebirds

Australian Tern

Gelochelidon macrotarsa

Australian Tern (Gelochelidon macrotarsa) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Indonesia Birds of Malaysia Birds of New Zealand Birds of Thailand Birds of Australian Capital Territory Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia

By family

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Australia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Indonesia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Malaysia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of New Zealand Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Thailand Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of New South Wales Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Northern Territory Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Queensland Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of South Australia

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The Australian Tern (Gelochelidon macrotarsa) is a member of the Laridae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 218 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Laridae Gulls, Terns, Skimmers
Genus Gelochelidon
Species macrotarsa

Where it lives

Inland Australia (except south-central, Tasmania)

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 218 g
Diet: Omnivores
Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Vulnerable

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Australian Tern is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Behaviour

A bird of coastal habitats, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.

Migration

The Australian Tern is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Australian Tern (Gelochelidon macrotarsa) is a species of bird in the Laridae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU inland Australia (except sc, Tasmania).

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 218 g, with a wing length of about 30.6 cm and a tail of around 11.5 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 5.7 million km².

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Australian Tern?

The Australian Tern is a large bird that weighs around 218 g.

Where does the Australian Tern live?

The Australian Tern is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU inland Australia (except sc, Tasmania), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Australian Tern belong to?

The Australian Tern (Gelochelidon macrotarsa) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Australian Tern eat?

The Australian Tern is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.

Does the Australian Tern migrate?

The Australian Tern is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Australian 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.

How large is the Australian Tern's range?

The Australian Tern has a mapped global range of about 5.7 million km².