Description:
Very similar to the Common Tern. Arctic's told 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.
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.
