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.
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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Arctic Tern
노래
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.
African Skimmer
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Geographic Range & Migration
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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.
African Skimmer
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Conservation Status Comparison
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보전 상태
Least Concern
Arctic Tern
Least Concern
African Skimmer
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Arctic Tern
깃털
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.
부리
Slender, pointed, bright red bill
African Skimmer
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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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.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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