Black-tailed Gull vs Fairy Tern

Larus crassirostris compared with Sternula nereis

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Black-tailed Gull Fairy Tern
Scientific Name Larus crassirostris Sternula nereis
Order Charadriiformes Charadriiformes
Family Laridae Laridae
Conservation Status Least Concern Vulnerable
Length
Wingspan 72.8 cm (28.7 in) 35.6 cm (14.0 in)
Weight 675.0 g (23.81 oz) 68.5 g (2.42 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 2-3 1-2
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Black-tailed Gull only

None

Fairy Tern only

None

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Black-tailed Gull

Vulnerable

Fairy Tern

About These Birds

Black-tailed Gull

Black-tailed Gull, 44–48 cm, is common on East Asian coasts from Russia to China, Japan, and Korea. Grey mantle, white body, yellow bill with red spot and black subterminal band, yellow legs. Omnivore; very vocal, known as the 'cat gull' for its mewing calls. Migratory; winters south to Vietnam.

Fairy Tern

Fairy Tern, 22–25 cm, breeds in southern Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia on sandy beaches. White and pale grey with an orange-yellow bill; delicate and buoyant in flight. Piscivore; hovers and plunge-dives in shallow coastal and estuarine waters. Vulnerable due to beach disturbance.

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