Arctic Tern vs Eurasian Wren
Sterna paradisaea comparé à Troglodytes troglodytes
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Arctic Tern | Eurasian Wren |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Sterna paradisaea | Troglodytes troglodytes |
| Ordre | Charadriiformes | Passeriformes |
| Famille | Laridae | Troglodytidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 34,0 cm (13.4 in) | 9,5 cm (3.7 in) |
| Envergure | 80,0 cm (31.5 in) | 15,0 cm (5.9 in) |
| Poids | 110,0 g (3.88 oz) | 9,0 g (0.32 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Small fish and crustaceans caught by plunge-diving from the air. Hovers briefly before diving. | Insects and spiders, gleaned from dense vegetation, rock crevices, and bark. Active and restless forager. |
| Taille de la couvée | 2-3 | 3-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
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.
Eurasian Wren
Dense undergrowth in woodlands, gardens, hedgerows, and rocky areas. Prefers tangled vegetation close to the ground.
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.
Eurasian Wren
Extraordinarily loud for its tiny size: a rapid, powerful stream of trills, buzzes, and churring phrases. One of Europe's loudest songs by volume relative to body weight.
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.
Eurasian Wren
Eurasia from Iceland and western Europe to Japan. The only wren species found outside the Americas.
Statut de conservation
Arctic Tern
Eurasian Wren
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
Eurasian Wren
Warm rufous-brown upperparts with fine dark barring. Pale buffy underparts with barred flanks. Short, often cocked tail.
Thin, slightly curved, dark brown 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.
Eurasian Wren
The Eurasian wren is one of the smallest birds in Europe but possesses an astonishingly loud song for its size. Males build multiple dome-shaped nests, from which the female selects one to line and use. In British folklore, the wren is known as the king of birds for outwitting the eagle in a flying contest.