BirdUp · Species
Antarctic Tern
Sterna vittataGmelin, JF, 1789
Updated
At a glance
The Antarctic Tern is a medium-sized bird, about 32–36 cm long, listed as Least Concern and native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.
- Size
- 32–36 cm
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
- Origin
- Native
- Best seen
- Year-round
- Commonness
- Local
01 · Identification
How to tell it apart
What does an Antarctic Tern look like?
The Antarctic Tern is a medium-sized bird, about 32–36 cm long and weighing 115–188 g.
The Antarctic tern is a seabird in the family Laridae. It ranges throughout the southern oceans and is found on small islands around Antarctica as well as on the shores of the mainland. Its diet consists primarily of small fish and crustaceans. It is very similar in appearance to the closely related Arctic tern, but it is stockier, and it is in its breeding plumage in the southern summer, when the Arctic tern has shed old feathers to get its non-breeding plumage. The Antarctic tern does not migrate like the Arctic tern does, but it can still be found on a very large range. This tern species is actually more closely related to the South American tern.
Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
03 · When
When to look
When can you see an Antarctic Tern?
The Antarctic Tern is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
05 · Behaviour
Habits and haunts
What does an Antarctic Tern eat?
The Antarctic Tern feeds on fish/invertebrates, usually foraging in flocks.
The BirdUp app
Log your next Antarctic Tern in the field
A pocket field journal for 850+ Australian birds. Offline-first, smart ID, and a lifelist that travels with you.