Blue Noddy vs Arctic Tern
Anous ceruleus compared with Sterna paradisaea
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Blue Noddy | Arctic Tern |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anous ceruleus | Sterna paradisaea |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Charadriiformes |
| Family | Laridae | Laridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 35.2 cm (13.9 in) | 80.0 cm (31.5 in) |
| Weight | 51.85 g (1.83 oz) | 110.0 g (3.88 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Small fish and crustaceans caught by plunge-diving from the air. Hovers briefly before diving. |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 2-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
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
Blue Noddy
Arctic Tern
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.
Geographic Range & Migration
Blue Noddy
Arctic Tern
Breeds in the Arctic and sub-Arctic. Migrates to the Antarctic, experiencing two summers per year. Found on every ocean.
Conservation Status
Blue Noddy
Arctic Tern
How to Tell Them Apart
Blue Noddy
Arctic Tern
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.
Slender, pointed, bright red bill
About These Birds
Blue Noddy
Blue Noddy is a tiny seabird, 25–28 cm, restricted to tropical Pacific atolls including Hawaii and Tuamotu. Pale blue-grey above, whitish below, with a distinctive pale cap. Piscivore; flutters low over lagoons picking prey from the surface. Near Threatened.
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.