Newfoundland and Labrador Terns

Common Tern/Arctic Tern (Sterna hirundo) (Stern) length: 35 cm wing-span: 80.5 cm bill: 3.6 cm
This pretty, delicate looking little bird performs one of the longest migratory journeys of any bird. The arctic tern winters as far south as Antarctic and spends its summers in the north.

It has all white plumage except for its black cap, red legs and feet and a long black forked tail. The common tern is similar in size and colour to the arctic tern, but it has a black tip on its bright red bill. The arctic has an all red bill.

The tern is the ballerina of the airways, dancing and darting about as it pecks food from the water. A special area is St. Paul's Inlet, on the Northern Peninsula. Often seen around fishing stages, listen for its sharp sparrow-like tearr or a tue, tue, tue.

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Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia) (Mackerel gull) length: 53 cm wing-span: 133 cm bill: 7 cm
Although the caspian is less common than the common and arctic tern you are still likely to see them all over the island in small numbers.

Bigger than a kittiwake, it is the largest and fiercest of the terns. Listen for its harsh kraa or ca-arr, ca-arr. It is often seen flying with its heavy, blood red bill open. White with a grey back, it has a black, shaggy crest.

Good viewing areas for the caspian tern and many other seabirds are Larkin Point in the St. Andrews' area of the Codroy Valley and at Cape Freels on the Bonavista Peninsula. Like the other terns, small fish and crustaceans make up its diet.

Other Newfoundland Flyers

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