Arctic Tern vs King Penguin
Sterna paradisaea comparé à Aptenodytes patagonicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Arctic Tern | King Penguin |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Sterna paradisaea | Aptenodytes patagonicus |
| Ordre | Charadriiformes | Sphenisciformes |
| Famille | Laridae | Spheniscidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 34,0 cm (13.4 in) | 95,0 cm (37.4 in) |
| Envergure | 80,0 cm (31.5 in) | 64,0 cm (25.2 in) |
| Poids | 110,0 g (3.88 oz) | 14000,0 g (493.84 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Small fish and crustaceans caught by plunge-diving from the air. Hovers briefly before diving. | Primarily lanternfish and squid caught during deep dives. Routinely dives to 100-300 meters, sometimes exceeding … |
| Taille de la couvée | 2-3 | 1 |
| 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.
King Penguin
Breeds on sub-Antarctic islands with flat or gently sloping beaches. Forages in the Southern Ocean.
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.
King Penguin
Uses individually unique complex calls for mate and chick recognition in noisy colonies. Produces a loud, musical trumpeting. Chick whistles are distinctive per family unit.
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.
King Penguin
Sub-Antarctic islands including South Georgia, Crozet, Kerguelen, Macquarie, and Falkland Islands.
Statut de conservation
Arctic Tern
King Penguin
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
King Penguin
Dark blue-grey back with white belly. Vivid orange-gold auricular patches on the sides of the head and upper breast. Silvery-grey upperparts.
Long, slender, slightly decurved bill with orange mandible plates
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.
King Penguin
The king penguin is the second-largest penguin species, known for its striking orange-gold head markings. Unlike most penguins, king penguins do not build nests — they incubate their single egg on their feet. Their 14-16 month breeding cycle is the longest of any penguin species.