Credit: Hilary Chambers
North American field guide
Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaea
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Identification
Field notes
36-43 cm (14-17") Common in Arctic on tundra lakes, rivers, coasts; winters at sea to Antarctic. Graceful, pigeon-sized bird with a very long forked tail. White head with a black cap; all-red bill; grayish underparts with translucent primaries; pale uniformly gray mantle; short red legs. Similar Common Tern has a black-tipped bill; whiter underneath with no translucent primaries.
Winter adult similar, but black cap is incomplete; bill and feet blackish.
Song: harsh "kee-urr".
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Arctic Tern
Credit: MacaulayLibraryArctic tern attack F8247
Credit: artemisBird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant · 1 rule
These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.
Arctic Tern
1 ruleRule 1 12 criteria · confidence 4
- What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?
- Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
- Forked · Unknown
- What colour was the BACK ?
- Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
- What colour was the THROAT ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
- What colour was the BILL ?
- Red, or pink · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the BILL ?
- Straight and thick · Unknown
- What LENGTH was the BILL ?
- Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
- What colour were the EYES ?
- Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Gull-like, or a Seabird
- WHEN was the bird seen ?
- Spring · Summer · Fall