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Elegant seabird with extremely long wings and forked tail.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyGulls, Terns, and Skimmers
SizeMedium
RarityUncommon
HabitatCoastlines, harbours, offshore waters, estuaries, headlands, beaches, and large inland water when conditions suit.
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from October.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Scott Olmstead
Range map
Range map
95visible hotspots
411visible records
3states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Adults are pale gray with white cheek, black cap, and red bill and legs. Very similar to Common Tern; note shorter bill, shorter legs, gray belly, and paler gray wingtips with very limited dark tips. Young birds show partial black cap and black bill and legs; look for pale gray wingtips and stubbier legs to separate from Common Tern.
Behavior
Migrates offshore, heading for wintering grounds in Southern Hemisphere.
Gallery