Arctic Tern vs Japanese White-eye
Sterna paradisaea compared with Zosterops japonicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Arctic Tern | Japanese White-eye |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sterna paradisaea | Zosterops japonicus |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Laridae | Zosteropidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) | 11.5 cm (4.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 80.0 cm (31.5 in) | 17.0 cm (6.7 in) |
| Weight | 110.0 g (3.88 oz) | 11.0 g (0.39 oz) |
| Diet | Small fish and crustaceans caught by plunge-diving from the air. Hovers briefly before diving. | Insects, nectar, and fruit. Active gleaner that flits through foliage and visits flowers. Important pollinator … |
| Clutch Size | 2-3 | 2-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Arctic Tern only
Japanese White-eye 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.
Japanese White-eye
Broadleaf evergreen forests, gardens, parks, and suburban areas. Highly adaptable and common in East Asian gardens.
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.
Japanese White-eye
Sweet, high-pitched 'tsee-tsee-tsee' whistle and soft melodic warbling. Flocks produce a continuous tinkling chorus. Alarm is a sharper 'tset'. Song is gentle and rhythmic.
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.
Japanese White-eye
East Asia including Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Introduced to Hawaii and other Pacific islands.
Conservation Status
Arctic Tern
Japanese White-eye
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
Japanese White-eye
Olive-green upperparts with a bright white eye-ring. Yellow throat and undertail coverts. Greyish-white belly.
Thin, pointed, slightly decurved dark bill
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.
Japanese White-eye
The Japanese white-eye is a familiar garden bird across East Asia, beloved in Japan where it is called mejiro. These sociable birds form flocks outside the breeding season and are important pollinators of plum and cherry blossoms. Unfortunately, introduced populations in Hawaii have become invasive, competing with native honeycreepers.