Photo: Duncan Wright / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Spectacled Tern
Onychoprion lunatus
Spectacled Tern (Onychoprion lunatus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Oceans & Seabirds.
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The Spectacled Tern (Onychoprion lunatus) is a member of the Laridae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 120 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 Onychoprion
- Species lunatus
Where it lives
Southwest to central tropical Pacific Ocean: northern Mariana, Phoenix, Line, Tuamotu, Marquesas, American Samoa, Northwestern Hawaiian Is., islets off Kauai and Oahu (main Hawaiian Is.) and Johnston Atoll (south of Hawaii)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 120 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Laridae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Spectacled 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 Spectacled Tern is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Spectacled Tern (Onychoprion lunatus) is a species of bird in the Laridae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. It is found across Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers PO sw to c tropical Pacific Ocean: n Mariana, Phoenix, Line, Tuamotu, Marquesas, American Samoa, Northwestern Hawaiian Is., islets off Kauai and Oahu (main Hawaiian Is.) and Johnston Atoll (s of Hawaii).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 120 g, with a wing length of about 26.1 cm and a tail of around 15.8 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 37,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Spectacled Tern?
The Spectacled Tern is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 120 g.
Where does the Spectacled Tern live?
The Spectacled Tern is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering PO sw to c tropical Pacific Ocean: n Mariana, Phoenix, Line, Tuamotu, Marquesas, American Samoa, Northwestern Hawaiian Is., islets off Kauai and Oahu (main Hawaiian Is.) and Johnston Atoll (s of Hawaii), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Spectacled Tern belong to?
The Spectacled Tern (Onychoprion lunatus) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Spectacled Tern eat?
The Spectacled Tern hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Spectacled Tern migrate?
The Spectacled Tern is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Spectacled 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 Spectacled Tern's range?
The Spectacled Tern has a mapped global range of about 37,000 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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