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
鸣唱
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.
Black 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.
Black Skimmer
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Conservation Status Comparison
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保护状况
Least Concern
Arctic Tern
Least Concern
Black Skimmer
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Arctic Tern
羽毛
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.
喙
Slender, pointed, bright red bill
Black Skimmer
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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Black Skimmer: 40–50 cm, the largest skimmer with jet black upperparts, white underparts, and an outsized red-and-black bill with protruding lower mandible. Inhabits large rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons of North and South America. Feeds at dawn and dusk by skimming water surface. Nests colonially on sandy beaches. Partly migratory.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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