Arctic Tern vs Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Sterna paradisaea compared with Paradisaea raggiana
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Arctic Tern | Raggiana Bird-of-paradise |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sterna paradisaea | Paradisaea raggiana |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Laridae | Paradisaeidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 80.0 cm (31.5 in) | 45.0 cm (17.7 in) |
| Weight | 110.0 g (3.88 oz) | 260.0 g (9.17 oz) |
| Diet | Small fish and crustaceans caught by plunge-diving from the air. Hovers briefly before diving. | Fruit, seeds, arthropods, and small vertebrates. Males display at communal lek sites to attract females. |
| Clutch Size | 2-3 | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Arctic Tern only
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise 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.
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Tropical rainforest and forest edge from lowlands to mid-montane elevations in New Guinea.
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.
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Males emit harsh, buzzy 'kraaak' calls and explosive wailing during display. Females give softer 'waak' contact calls. Display calls are loud and chaotic at leks.
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.
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Southern and eastern New Guinea. Endemic to Papua New Guinea.
Conservation Status
Arctic Tern
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
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
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Males have a yellow crown, emerald-green throat, and spectacular cascading orange-red flank plumes. Females are brown with rufous underparts.
Stout, slightly curved, blue-grey 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.
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
The raggiana bird-of-paradise is the national bird of Papua New Guinea, featured on the national flag and coat of arms. Males gather at traditional display trees to perform elaborate courtship dances, hanging upside down and shaking their spectacular flank plumes. Alfred Russel Wallace first described the species in 1873.