Arctic Tern vs Griffon Vulture
Sterna paradisaea compared with Gyps fulvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Arctic Tern | Griffon Vulture |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sterna paradisaea | Gyps fulvus |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Laridae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) | 100.0 cm (39.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 80.0 cm (31.5 in) | 260.0 cm (102.4 in) |
| Weight | 110.0 g (3.88 oz) | 8500.0 g (299.83 oz) |
| Diet | Small fish and crustaceans caught by plunge-diving from the air. Hovers briefly before diving. | Exclusively carrion, primarily large mammal carcasses. Feeds communally, with groups of vultures able to strip … |
| Clutch Size | 2-3 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Arctic Tern only
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.
Griffon Vulture
Mountains, cliffs, and open grasslands. Nests on cliff ledges in colonies. Requires thermals for soaring flight.
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.
Griffon Vulture
Generally silent; hisses and grunts at carrion with other vultures. Gives low croaking 'arrr' near nest. At colonies produces cackling and grunting — not melodic vocalizations.
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.
Griffon Vulture
Southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Resident in most of its range.
Conservation Status
Arctic Tern
Griffon Vulture
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
Griffon Vulture
Tawny-brown body with darker flight feathers. White neck ruff and bare greyish head. Long broad wings held flat when soaring.
Hooked yellowish bill adapted for tearing carrion
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.
Griffon Vulture
The griffon vulture is one of Europe's largest flying birds and a crucial scavenger in Mediterranean ecosystems. These social birds nest in large cliff colonies and can soar for hours using thermals without flapping. Vulture populations faced a crisis from the veterinary drug diclofenac, which proved fatal when consumed through contaminated carcasses.