Common Gull-billed Tern vs African Skimmer
Gelochelidon nilotica compared with Rynchops flavirostris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Gull-billed Tern | African Skimmer |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Gelochelidon nilotica | Rynchops flavirostris |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Charadriiformes |
| Family | Laridae | Laridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 61.6 cm (24.3 in) | 66.4 cm (26.1 in) |
| Weight | 214.075 g (7.55 oz) | 165.66666666666666 g (5.84 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1-3 | 1-5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Common Gull-billed Tern only
African Skimmer only
None
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Common Gull-billed Tern
Least Concern
African Skimmer
About These Birds
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.
African Skimmer
African Skimmer: 36–42 cm, black-and-white skimmer with a long bright orange-yellow bill where the lower mandible is longer than the upper. Flies low over large rivers and lakes, cutting the water surface with the lower bill to catch fish. Resident and partial migrant along large rivers and lakes of sub-Saharan Africa. NT.