BirdUp · Species
Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia(Pallas, 1770)
Native
- Order
- CHARADRIIFORMES
- Family
- Laridae
- Genus
- Hydroprogne
- Commonness
- Very common
- Best seen
- Year-round
01 · Identification
How to tell it apart
The Caspian tern is the world's largest species of tern, with a subcosmopolitan but scattered distribution. Despite its extensive range, it is monotypic of its genus, and has no accepted subspecies. The genus name is from Ancient Greek hudro-, "water-", and Latin progne, "swallow". The specific caspia is from Latin and, like the English name, refers to the Caspian Sea.
Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
02 · Where
Where to find it
- Breeding range
- PAL, OR, AU, NA : patchily coastal Baltic Sea and inland south-east Europe to west Mongolia and Ussuriland (south-east Russia) and north-east China and south Asian coasts; coastal and inland west and south Africa; Europa (west of south Madagascar, Mozambique Channel), coastal Madagascar and Aldabra group (south-west Seychelles); coastal Australia and New Zealand (North and South and Stewart is.) and inland north and east Australia; inland Northwest Territories to central California, Great Lakes and north-east Canada
- Non-breeding range
- Coastal Africa, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, India, Thailand, Malay Pen. and Vietnam; east Pacific and Caribbean to Panama
03 · When
When to look
Months this species is recorded across its Australian range.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
05 · Behaviour
Habits and haunts
06 · Gallery
Plumage up close
4 photos
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