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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Laridae
  4. ›
  5. Sterna
  6. ›
  7. Black-naped Tern
Black-naped Tern
Photo · (c) Patrick Connolly, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Black-naped Tern

Sterna sumatranaRaffles, 1822

Updated 21 March 2026

Origin: Native
Order
CHARADRIIFORMES
Family
Laridae
Genus
Sterna

At a glance

The Black-naped Tern is a medium-sized bird, about 30–32 cm long, native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
30–32 cm
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Very common
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Black-naped Tern look like?

The Black-naped Tern is a medium-sized bird, about 30–32 cm long and weighing 90–120 g.

The black-naped tern is an oceanic tern mostly found in tropical and subtropical areas of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean. They are rarely found inland. It was described from the islands around Sumatra. It is most closely related to roseate tern S. dougallii and white-fronted tern S. striata.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
30–32 cm
Weight
90–120 g
Wingspan
66 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Black-naped Tern?

The Black-naped Tern is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Black-naped Tern eat?

The Black-naped Tern feeds on fish/invertebrates, usually foraging in flocks.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

2 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Black-naped Tern live in Australia?

The Black-naped Tern is native to Australia, recorded across 17 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingAF, OR, AU : islands off tropical Indian and Pacific oceans from Seychelles to Cook Is. (east Polynesia)

Non-breedingIO, south PO

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident
  • Vagrant
  • Non-breeding

5 regions recorded