Photo: Aviceda / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-fronted Tern
Sterna striata
White-fronted Tern (Sterna striata) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-fronted Tern (Sterna striata) is a member of the Laridae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 129 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Laridae Gulls, Terns, Skimmers
- Genus Sterna
- Species striata
Where it lives
Coasts and satellites of North, South, Stewart, Chatham (east of South I.) and Auckland is. (south of South I.; New Zealand); also (few) Furneaux group, eastern Bass Strait is. (Australia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 129 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Laridae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-fronted 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 White-fronted Tern is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The White-fronted Tern (Sterna striata) is a species of bird in the Laridae family, part of the order Charadriiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU coasts and satellites of North, South, Stewart, Chatham (e of South I.) and Auckland is. (s of South I.; New Zealand); also (few) Furneaux group, e Bass Strait is. (Australia).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 129 g, with a wing length of about 27.4 cm and a tail of around 17 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 83,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-fronted Tern?
The White-fronted Tern is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 129 g.
Where does the White-fronted Tern live?
The White-fronted Tern is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU coasts and satellites of North, South, Stewart, Chatham (e of South I.) and Auckland is. (s of South I.; New Zealand); also (few) Furneaux group, e Bass Strait is. (Australia), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the White-fronted Tern belong to?
The White-fronted Tern (Sterna striata) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the White-fronted Tern eat?
The White-fronted Tern hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the White-fronted Tern migrate?
The White-fronted Tern is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the White-fronted Tern endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the White-fronted Tern make?
1 real field recording of the White-fronted 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 White-fronted Tern's range?
The White-fronted Tern has a mapped global range of about 83,000 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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