Charrán Ártico
Sterna paradisaea
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Migrating from Arctic breeding grounds to the Antarctic and back, the Arctic Tern experiences two summers each year and ranges across every ocean. Pale grey above and white below with a black cap, blood-red bill, and short red legs, it has deeply forked tail streamers that trail in flight. It catches small fish and crustaceans by plunge-diving, hovering briefly before dropping. Breeding in colonies on coastal and tundra ground, it lays two to three eggs in a simple scrape, incubated for 22 to 27 days, with young fledging at 21 to 24 days. Fiercely defensive at the nest, it gives sharp, grating alarm calls to drive off intruders. The species is classified as Least Concern.
Acerca de
El charrán ártico realiza la migración más larga de todos los animales, viajando cada año entre sus zonas de reproducción árticas y sus zonas de invernada antárticas, con una ida y vuelta de más de 70.000 km. Gracias a esta ruta, experimenta más horas de luz solar al año que cualquier otra criatura. Pequeño y ágil, pesa unos 100 g y se caracteriza por su pico y patas de color rojo sangre. Defiende agresivamente sus colonias de cría, llegando a atacar a humanos que se acercan demasiado.
Physical Description
| Measurement | Value | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Body Length | 34,0 cm | 13.4 in |
| Envergadura | 80,0 cm | 31.5 in |
| Peso | 110,0 g | 3.88 oz |
Identificación
Plumaje
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.
Pico
Slender, pointed, bright red bill
Habitat & Range
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.
Distribución geográfica
Breeds in the Arctic and sub-Arctic. Migrates to the Antarctic, experiencing two summers per year. Found on every ocean.
Diet & Feeding
Small fish and crustaceans caught by plunge-diving from the air. Hovers briefly before diving.
Estado de conservación
Comportamiento y reproducción
Nidificación
Nest type: SC. Incubation: 22-27 days. Fledging: 21-24 days.
Tamaño de la puesta
2-3
Sonido
Canto
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.
Taxonomía
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Orden | Charadriiformes (Limícolas y Gaviotas) |
| Familia | Laridae (Gaviotas y Charranes) |
| Genus | Sterna |
| Especies | Sterna paradisaea |
Names in Other Languages
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| German | Küstenseeschwalbe |
| Spanish | Charrán Ártico |
Distribution
Charrán Ártico has been recorded in 7 countries.
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External Databases
Preguntas frecuentes
What does the Charrán Ártico eat?
Where does the Charrán Ártico live?
Is the Charrán Ártico endangered?
How does the Charrán Ártico nest?
What does the Charrán Ártico sound like?
How big is the Charrán Ártico?
What order and family does the Charrán Ártico belong to?
Similar Birds
Other species in the Laridae family