Arctic Tern vs Common Gull-billed Tern
Sterna paradisaea compared with Gelochelidon nilotica
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Arctic Tern | Common Gull-billed Tern |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sterna paradisaea | Gelochelidon nilotica |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Charadriiformes |
| Family | Laridae | Laridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 80.0 cm (31.5 in) | 61.6 cm (24.3 in) |
| Weight | 110.0 g (3.88 oz) | 214.075 g (7.55 oz) |
| Diet | Small fish and crustaceans caught by plunge-diving from the air. Hovers briefly before diving. | -- |
| Clutch Size | 2-3 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Arctic Tern only
None
Common Gull-billed Tern only
None
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
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.
Common Gull-billed 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.
Common Gull-billed Tern
Conservation Status
Arctic Tern
Common Gull-billed Tern
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Common Gull-billed 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.
Common Gull-billed Tern
Common Gull-billed Tern, 35–38 cm, wingspan 76–86 cm, has a broad global range across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Australia. Stout black bill adapted for catching crabs, insects, and small vertebrates — atypically terrestrial for a tern. Summers in marshes and steppes; winters on tropical coasts.