Common Tern

Sterna hirundo

The Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) is a medium-sized seabird with a slender body, long pointed wings, and a deeply forked tail. During the breeding season, adults have a black cap on the head, a red bill, and a white body with gray wings. They are highly agile flyers and are known for their graceful diving and hovering abilities while foraging for small fish. Common Terns breed in colonies on coastal and inland waters, often on sandy or rocky islands. They migrate south to winter in coastal tropical and subtropical regions. Their populations are vulnerable to disturbance and habitat loss, particularly due to human encroachment on nesting sites.

Habitat: Coastal and inland waters