Photo: MPF / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Roseate Tern
Sterna dougallii
Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Worldwide.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) is a member of the Laridae family found in Africa, Australia & Oceania and Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 112 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 dougallii
Where it lives
Worldwide patchily temperate to tropical Atlantic, tropical Indian, and subtropical to tropical western Pacific to Vanuatu
Quick facts
- Weight
- 112 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Laridae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Roseate Tern hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Roseate Tern is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) belongs to the Laridae family of the order Charadriiformes. It occurs naturally across Africa, Australia & Oceania and Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers Worldwide patchily temperate to tropical Atlantic, tropical Indian, and subtropical to tropical w Pacific to Vanuatu.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 112 g, with a wing length of about 22.4 cm and a tail of around 16.6 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 7.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Roseate Tern?
The Roseate Tern is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 112 g.
Where does the Roseate Tern live?
The Roseate Tern is found across Africa, Australia & Oceania and Central America & Caribbean with a range covering Worldwide patchily temperate to tropical Atlantic, tropical Indian, and subtropical to tropical w Pacific to Vanuatu, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Roseate Tern belong to?
The Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Roseate Tern eat?
The Roseate Tern hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Roseate Tern migrate?
The Roseate Tern is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Roseate 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 Roseate Tern make?
1 real field recording of the Roseate 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 Roseate Tern's range?
The Roseate Tern has a mapped global range of about 7.7 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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