Caspian Tern

Hydroprogne caspia (Pallas, 1770)

Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia breeds across patchy coastal and inland sites in the Palearctic, Oriental Region, Australasia and North America, and spends the non-breeding season on coasts in Africa, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, India, Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, Vietnam, the eastern Pacific and the Caribbean to Panama. It is the largest tern in the world and belongs to a genus with no accepted subspecies. Its range includes the Baltic Sea, Great Lakes, Madagascar, Aldabra, Australia, New Zealand and parts of inland Africa and North America.

Order

Charadriiformes

Family

Laridae — Gulls, Terns, Skimmers

Breeding range

Palearctic, Oriental Region, Australasia, North America: patchily coastal Baltic Sea and inland se Europe to w Mongolia and Ussuriland (se Russia) and ne China and s Asian coasts; coastal and inland w and s Africa; Europa (w of s Madagascar, Mozambique Channel), coastal Madagascar and Aldabra group (sw Seychelles); coastal Australia and New Zealand (North, South and Stewart is.) and inland n, e Australia; inland Northwest Territories to c California, Great Lakes and ne Canada

Nonbreeding range

coastal Africa, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, India, Thailand, Malay Pen. and Vietnam; e Pacific and Caribbean to Panama