Photo: Heshamsamir / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Lesser Crested Tern
Thalasseus bengalensis
Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Africa.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis) is a member of the Laridae family found in Africa, Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 209 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 Thalasseus
- Species bengalensis
Where it lives
Disjunctly, coasts of south-central Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and marginal seas, and northern Australia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 209 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Laridae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Lesser Crested 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 Lesser Crested Tern is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis) belongs to the Laridae family of the order Charadriiformes. It is found across Africa, Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers AF, OR, AU disjunctly, coasts of sc Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and marginal seas, and n Australia.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 209 g, with a wing length of about 29.3 cm and a tail of around 13.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Lesser Crested Tern?
The Lesser Crested Tern is a large bird that weighs around 209 g.
Where does the Lesser Crested Tern live?
The Lesser Crested Tern is found across Africa, Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering AF, OR, AU disjunctly, coasts of sc Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and marginal seas, and n Australia, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Lesser Crested Tern belong to?
The Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Lesser Crested Tern eat?
The Lesser Crested Tern hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Lesser Crested Tern migrate?
The Lesser Crested Tern is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Lesser Crested 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 Lesser Crested Tern make?
1 real field recording of the Lesser Crested 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 Lesser Crested Tern's range?
The Lesser Crested Tern has a mapped global range of about 1.7 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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