Arctic Tern vs White-cheeked Tern

Sterna paradisaea مقارنةً بـ Sterna repressa

Side-by-Side Comparison

السمة Arctic Tern White-cheeked Tern
الاسم العلمي Sterna paradisaea Sterna repressa
الرتبة Charadriiformes Charadriiformes
الفصيلة Laridae Laridae
حالة الحفاظ Least Concern Least Concern
الطول 34,0 cm (13.4 in)
طول الجناح 80,0 cm (31.5 in) 48,3 cm (19.0 in)
الوزن 110,0 g (3.88 oz) 118,75 g (4.19 oz)
النظام الغذائي Small fish and crustaceans caught by plunge-diving from the air. Hovers briefly before diving. --
عدد البيض في الوضع 2-3 1-3
Population Trend

Size Comparison

Body Length
Arctic Tern 34,0 cm
White-cheeked Tern
طول الجناح
Arctic Tern 80,0 cm
White-cheeked Tern 48,3 cm
الوزن
Arctic Tern 110,0 g
White-cheeked Tern 118,75 g

Habitat Comparison

الموائل المشتركة

Arctic Tern only

White-cheeked 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.

White-cheeked 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.

White-cheeked Tern

حالة الحفاظ

Least Concern

Arctic Tern

Least Concern

White-cheeked 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

White-cheeked 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.

White-cheeked Tern

White-cheeked Tern, 32–34 cm, breeds around the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and Indian Ocean coasts from East Africa to Pakistan. Grey above and below in breeding plumage, white cheek patch below the black cap. Piscivore; plunge-dives in coastal waters. Some movement to winter quarters in East African coasts.

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