Lesser Noddy vs Arctic Tern
Anous tenuirostris compared with Sterna paradisaea
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lesser Noddy | Arctic Tern |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anous tenuirostris | Sterna paradisaea |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Charadriiformes |
| Family | Laridae | Laridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 42.4 cm (16.7 in) | 80.0 cm (31.5 in) |
| Weight | 106.35 g (3.75 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
Lesser 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
Lesser 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
Lesser Noddy
Arctic Tern
How to Tell Them Apart
Lesser 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
Lesser Noddy
Lesser Noddy: 30–34 cm, smaller and darker than Brown Noddy with a whiter cap sharply demarcated from the dark body and a slender bill. Breeds colonially in mangroves and low bushes on islands of the tropical Indian Ocean and western Pacific. Feeds on small fish and invertebrates by dipping to sea surface. Wingspan 58–63 cm. Partly migratory.
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.