Photo: Mdf / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Shorebirds

Caspian Tern

Hydroprogne caspia

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.

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 Australian Capital Territory Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Tasmania Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia Birds of Alberta Birds of British Columbia

By family

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of New South Wales Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Northern Territory Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Queensland Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of South Australia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Tasmania Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Victoria Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Western Australia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Alberta Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of British Columbia

See what's near you right now

The Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) is a member of the Laridae family found in Australia & Oceania, Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 655 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 Hydroprogne
Species caspia

Where it lives

Patchily coastal Baltic Sea and inland southeastern Europe to western Mongolia and Ussuriland (southeastern Russia) and northeastern China and southern Asian coasts; coastal and inland western and southern Africa; Europa (west of southern Madagascar, Mozambique Channel), coastal Madagascar and Aldabra group (southwestern Seychelles); coastal Australia and New Zealand (North, South and Stewart is.) and inland northern, eastern Australia; inland Northwest Territories to central California, Great Lakes and northeastern Canada

Quick facts

Weight: 655 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Not Evaluated

West African Crested Tern

Thalasseus albididorsalis

Least Concern

Royal Tern

Thalasseus maximus

Least Concern

Black Skimmer

Rynchops niger

Least Concern

Swallow-tailed Gull

Creagrus furcatus

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Caspian Tern hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

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

Migration

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

The Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) is a species of gulls, terns, skimmers in the family Laridae, order Charadriiformes. It is found in Europe & Northern Asia, South & Southeast Asia, Australia & Oceania, North America — patchily coastal Baltic Sea and inland se Europe to w Mongolia and Ussuriland (se Russia) and ne China and s Asian coasts; coastal and inland w and s Africa; Europa (w of s Madagascar, Mozambique Channel), coastal Madagascar and Aldabra group (sw Seychelles); coastal Australia and New Zealand (North, South and Stewart is.) and inland n, e Australia; inland Northwest Territories to c California, Great Lakes and ne Canada.

Songs & calls

Caspian Tern — Call

Recorded by David Darrell-Lambert Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Caspian Tern?

The Caspian Tern is a large bird that weighs around 655 g.

Where does the Caspian Tern live?

The Caspian Tern is found across Australia & Oceania, Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering PAL, OR, AU, NA patchily coastal Baltic Sea and inland se Europe to w Mongolia and Ussuriland (se Russia) and ne China and s Asian coasts; coastal and inland w and s Africa; Europa (w of s Madagascar, Mozambique Channel), coastal Madagascar and Aldabra group (sw Seychelles); coastal Australia and New Zealand (North, South and Stewart is.) and inland n, e Australia; inland Northwest Territories to c California, Great Lakes and ne Canada, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Caspian Tern belong to?

The Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Caspian Tern eat?

The Caspian Tern hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Caspian Tern migrate?

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

Is the Caspian 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 Caspian Tern make?

1 real field recording of the Caspian Tern — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Caspian Tern's range?

The Caspian Tern has a mapped global range of about 6.3 million km².