Thursday, 09 February 2012
Arctic Tern
Scientific Name:
Sterna paradisaea
Length:
33-39cm
Wingspan (mm):
66-77cm
Weight:
110g Description
Very similar to the Common Tern. Arctic Terns are recognised by very short legs, blood red bill without a black tip and a translucent appearance to all primary wing feathers.
Distribution
A common summer visitor, breeding in coastal areas much further north than Common Tern. Only a few pairs nest south of the Farne Islands on the east coast, or Anglesey on the west.
Habitat
Breeds on coastal islands and shingle banks.
Diet
Mainly fish
Population
44 000 breeding pairs. Most populations are distributed along the western coast of Scotland. Particularly common in the Western Isles, Shetlands and Orkneys.
Status
Breeds around the coasts of northern Europe and at many inland sites in northern Scandinavia.
Did You Know?
On passage, the species can be seen all around the coast and also inland, but birds are often overlooked as Common Terns.