Arctic Tern vs River Tern

Sterna paradisaea مقارنةً بـ Sterna aurantia

Side-by-Side Comparison

السمة Arctic Tern River Tern
الاسم العلمي Sterna paradisaea Sterna aurantia
الرتبة Charadriiformes Charadriiformes
الفصيلة Laridae Laridae
حالة الحفاظ Least Concern Vulnerable
الطول 34,0 cm (13.4 in)
طول الجناح 80,0 cm (31.5 in) 52,4 cm (20.6 in)
الوزن 110,0 g (3.88 oz) 187,5 g (6.61 oz)
النظام الغذائي Small fish and crustaceans caught by plunge-diving from the air. Hovers briefly before diving. --
عدد البيض في الوضع 2-3 3-4
Population Trend

Size Comparison

Body Length
Arctic Tern 34,0 cm
River Tern
طول الجناح
Arctic Tern 80,0 cm
River Tern 52,4 cm
الوزن
Arctic Tern 110,0 g
River Tern 187,5 g

Habitat Comparison

الموائل المشتركة

Arctic Tern only

River Tern only

بلا

Arctic Tern

Breeds on coastal and tundra habitats. Spends most of its life at sea over the open ocean. Nests in colonies on beaches and rocky shores.

Song & Call Comparison

Arctic Tern

الغناء

A sharp, grating 'kree-yah' alarm call. Also gives 'kik-kik-kik' near the nest. Highly aggressive vocally during the Arctic breeding season. Calls are harsh and insistent.

River Tern

Geographic Range & Migration

Arctic Tern

Breeds in the Arctic and sub-Arctic. Migrates to the Antarctic, experiencing two summers per year. Found on every ocean.

River Tern

حالة الحفاظ

Least Concern

Arctic Tern

Vulnerable

River Tern

How to Tell Them Apart

Arctic Tern

الريش

Pale grey upperparts, white underparts with a black cap. Blood-red bill and short red legs. Deeply forked tail streamers. Winter adults lose the full black cap.

المنقار

Slender, pointed, bright red bill

River Tern

About These Birds

Arctic Tern

The Arctic tern holds the record for the longest known migration of any animal, traveling roughly 70,000 km annually from Arctic to Antarctic and back. Over its 30-year lifespan, it may fly the equivalent of three round trips to the Moon. This remarkable bird experiences more daylight than any other creature on Earth.

River Tern

River Tern, 38–43 cm, is a large freshwater tern of South and Southeast Asia, found along major rivers from Pakistan to Thailand. Yellow-orange bill, grey back, black cap in breeding plumage. Piscivore; plunge-dives into clear river water. Near Threatened due to river sand-mining and disturbance.

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