Genus

Typical Terns

Sterna

10 species in our catalog · found in 97 parks

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
GenusSterna (Typical Terns)

Species in this group

Sterna paradisaea

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely

Sterna forsteri

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Sterna striata

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Sterna hirundinacea

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Sterna aurantia

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Sterna hirundo

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Sterna sumatrana

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Sterna dougallii

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Sterna acuticauda

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Sterna vittata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 10 species Show fewer

Daily sighting probability by month

Probability-weighted average across the group's species

~20%

Jan

~30%

Feb

~20%

Mar

~20%

Apr

~20%

May

~30%

Jun

~30%

Jul

~30%

Aug

~30%

Sep

~20%

Oct

~20%

Nov

~20%

Dec

When they're spotted

When the group's species are recorded (aggregated)

Where to see Typical Terns

Warmer areas are where this group is recorded most often. Our parks Our cities In captivity: 7 zoos & centres

Parks Ranked

#	Park	Country	Species	Daily sighting probability
1	Svalbard	🇳🇴 Norway	1 of 10	~90%
	Arctic Tern			~90%
2	Padre Island National Seashore	🇺🇸 United States	3 of 10	~70%
	Forster's Tern			~60%
	Common Tern			~20%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
3	Vatnajokull National Park	🇮🇸 Iceland	1 of 10	~70%
	Arctic Tern			~70%
4	Rakiura National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1 of 10	~60%
	White-fronted Tern			~60%
5	Ranthambore National Park	🇮🇳 India	2 of 10	~40%
	River Tern			~40%
	Black-bellied Tern			<5%
6	Península Valdés	🇦🇷 Argentina	1 of 10	~40%
	South American Tern			~40%
7	West Coast National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	2 of 10	~40%
	Common Tern			~40%
	Antarctic Tern			<5%
8	Komodo National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	2 of 10	~40%
	Black-naped Tern			~30%
	Common Tern			~10%
9	Satpura National Park	🇮🇳 India	2 of 10	~40%
	River Tern			~30%
	Black-bellied Tern			<5%
10	Kaziranga National Park	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~30%
	River Tern			~30%
11	Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 10	~30%
	Forster's Tern			~30%
	Common Tern			<5%
12	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	3 of 10	~30%
	Common Tern			~30%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
13	Gir National Park	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~30%
	River Tern			~30%
14	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2 of 10	~30%
	Forster's Tern			~30%
	Common Tern			<5%
15	Katmai National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1 of 10	~30%
	Arctic Tern			~30%
16	Tierra del Fuego National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	1 of 10	~30%
	South American Tern			~30%
17	Channel Islands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 10	~30%
	Forster's Tern			~20%
	Common Tern			<5%
18	Gros Morne National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	2 of 10	~30%
	Common Tern			~20%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
19	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2 of 10	~30%
	Forster's Tern			~20%
	Common Tern			<5%
20	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	2 of 10	~30%
	Common Tern			~20%
	Arctic Tern			~10%
21	Fertő-Hanság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	1 of 10	~30%
	Common Tern			~30%
22	Keoladeo National Park	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~20%
	River Tern			~20%
23	Nagarhole National Park	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~20%
	River Tern			~20%
24	Hortobágy National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	1 of 10	~20%
	Common Tern			~20%
25	Raja Ampat	🇮🇩 Indonesia	2 of 10	~20%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Black-naped Tern			~10%
26	Jim Corbett National Park	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~20%
	River Tern			~20%
27	Kiskunság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	1 of 10	~20%
	Common Tern			~20%
28	Jaragua National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	1 of 10	~20%
	Common Tern			~20%
29	Elk Island National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	2 of 10	~10%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
30	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
31	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2 of 10	~10%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
32	Camargue	🇫🇷 France	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
33	Fiordland National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1 of 10	~10%
	White-fronted Tern			~10%
34	Białowieża National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
35	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	2 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Antarctic Tern			<5%
36	Riding Mountain National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	2 of 10	~10%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
37	Kenai Fjords National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1 of 10	~10%
	Arctic Tern			~10%
38	Bali Barat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	2 of 10	~10%
	Black-naped Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
39	Noosa National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
40	Kluane National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	1 of 10	~10%
	Arctic Tern			~10%
41	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
42	Abel Tasman National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1 of 10	~10%
	White-fronted Tern			~10%
43	Ningaloo Marine Park	🇦🇺 Australia	2 of 10	~10%
	Roseate Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
44	Periyar National Park	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~10%
	River Tern			~10%
45	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	2 of 10	~10%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
46	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
47	Rottnest Island	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 10	~10%
	Roseate Tern			~10%
48	Tangkoko Nature Reserve	🇮🇩 Indonesia	2 of 10	~10%
	Black-naped Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
49	Bavarian Forest National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
50	De Hoop Nature Reserve	🇿🇦 South Africa	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
51	Biebrza National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
52	Isla del Coco National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
53	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 10	~10%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
54	Torres del Paine National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	1 of 10	~10%
	South American Tern			~10%
55	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
56	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	2 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
57	Bandipur National Park	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	<5%
	River Tern			<5%
58	Yala National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
59	Freycinet National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 10	<5%
	White-fronted Tern			<5%
60	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
61	Egmont National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1 of 10	<5%
	White-fronted Tern			<5%
62	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
63	Sundarbans National Park	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
64	Doñana National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
65	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
66	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	1 of 10	<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
67	Great Bear Rainforest	🇨🇦 Canada	2 of 10	<5%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
68	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	2 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
69	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	2 of 10	<5%
	Roseate Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
70	Gauja National Park	🇱🇻 Latvia	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
71	Snowdonia National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	2 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
72	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
73	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
74	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
75	Denali National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1 of 10	<5%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
76	Main Ridge Forest Reserve	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	1 of 10	<5%
	Roseate Tern			<5%
77	Tijuca National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 10	<5%
	South American Tern			<5%
78	Bandhavgarh National Park	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	<5%
	River Tern			<5%
79	Redwood National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 10	<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
80	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
81	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
82	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	1 of 10	<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
83	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
84	Galápagos Islands	🇪🇨 Ecuador	2 of 10	<5%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
85	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
86	Daintree National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
87	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
88	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
89	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
90	Monfragüe National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
91	Royal National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1 of 10	<5%
	White-fronted Tern			<5%
92	Grand Teton National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1 of 10	<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
93	Sierra de Guadarrama National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
94	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
95	Yellowstone National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1 of 10	<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
96	Olympic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
97	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	1 of 10	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%

Cities Ranked

#	City	Country	Species	Daily sighting probability
1	Dakar	🇸🇳 Senegal	3 of 10	~50%
	Common Tern			~40%
	Arctic Tern			~20%
	Roseate Tern			~10%
2	Anchorage	🇺🇸 United States	1 of 10	~50%
	Arctic Tern			~50%
3	Rajkot	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~40%
	River Tern			~40%
4	Helsinki	🇫🇮 Finland	2 of 10	~40%
	Common Tern			~30%
	Arctic Tern			~10%
5	Liverpool	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	3 of 10	~20%
	Common Tern			~20%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
	Roseate Tern			<5%
6	Kota	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~20%
	River Tern			~20%
7	Bhopal	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~20%
	River Tern			~20%
8	Minsk	🇧🇾 Belarus	1 of 10	~20%
	Common Tern			~20%
9	Nizhny Novgorod	🇷🇺 Russia	1 of 10	~20%
	Common Tern			~20%
10	Izmir	🇹🇷 Turkey	1 of 10	~20%
	Common Tern			~20%
11	Hyderabad	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~20%
	River Tern			~20%
12	Dublin	🇮🇪 Ireland	3 of 10	~20%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
	Roseate Tern			<5%
13	Ulaanbaatar	🇲🇳 Mongolia	1 of 10	~20%
	Common Tern			~20%
14	Auckland	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1 of 10	~10%
	White-fronted Tern			~10%
15	Rostov-on-Don	🇷🇺 Russia	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
16	San Francisco	🇺🇸 United States	3 of 10	~10%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
17	Stockholm	🇸🇪 Sweden	2 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
18	Rotterdam [The Hague]	🇳🇱 Netherlands	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
19	Padang	🇮🇩 Indonesia	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
20	San Diego	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 10	~10%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
21	Kazan	🇷🇺 Russia	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
22	Warsaw	🇵🇱 Poland	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
23	Moscow	🇷🇺 Russia	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
24	Kyiv	🇺🇦 Ukraine	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
25	Saint Petersburg	🇷🇺 Russia	2 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
26	Zanzibar City	🇹🇿 Tanzania	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
27	Xi'an	🇨🇳 China	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
28	Los Angeles	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 10	~10%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
29	Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~10%
	River Tern			~10%
30	Vasai-Virar	🇮🇳 India	2 of 10	~10%
	River Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
31	Mumbai	🇮🇳 India	3 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
	River Tern			<5%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
32	New York City	🇺🇸 United States	4 of 10	~10%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Roseate Tern			<5%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
33	Paris	🇫🇷 France	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
34	Astana	🇰🇿 Kazakhstan	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
35	Nagpur	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~10%
	River Tern			~10%
36	Davao City	🇵🇭 Philippines	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
37	Bucharest	🇷🇴 Romania	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
38	Kuwait City	🇰🇼 Kuwait	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
39	Toronto	🇨🇦 Canada	3 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
40	Dar es-Salaam	🇹🇿 Tanzania	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
41	Agra	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~10%
	River Tern			~10%
42	Turin	🇮🇹 Italy	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
43	Tunis	🇹🇳 Tunisia	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
44	London	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	2 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
45	Surat	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~10%
	River Tern			~10%
46	Vadodara	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~10%
	River Tern			~10%
47	Srinagar	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~10%
	River Tern			~10%
48	Jodhpur	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~10%
	River Tern			~10%
49	Mexico City	🇲🇽 México	1 of 10	~10%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
50	Indore	🇮🇳 India	1 of 10	~10%
	River Tern			~10%
51	Montreal	🇨🇦 Canada	2 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
52	Amsterdam	🇳🇱 Netherlands	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
53	Cape Town	🇿🇦 South Africa	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
54	Ponnani	🇮🇳 India	2 of 10	~10%
	River Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
55	Karachi	🇵🇰 Pakistan	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
56	Yekaterinburg	🇷🇺 Russia	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
57	Beijing	🇨🇳 China	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
58	Manchester	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	2 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
59	Luanda	🇦🇴 Angola	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
60	Busan	🇰🇷 South Korea	1 of 10	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	National Zoological Park	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
2	Zoo Pilsen	🇨🇿 Czechia	In captivity
3	Bronx Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
4	Pyrénées Animal Park	🇫🇷 France	In captivity
5	Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center and Woods Garden	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
6	New England Aquarium	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
7	Montreal Biodome	🇨🇦 Canada	In captivity

Typical Terns

Species in this group

Arctic Tern

Forster's Tern

White-fronted Tern

South American Tern

River Tern

Common Tern

Black-naped Tern

Roseate Tern

Black-bellied Tern

Antarctic Tern

Daily sighting probability by month

When they're spotted

Where to see Typical Terns

Parks Ranked

Cities Ranked

Zoos & Centres Where Found