Status in UK:
(A) Migrant Breeder, Passage Visitor
Subspecies:hirundo recorded in Britain (of 4 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
33 cm
Wingspan:
88 cm
Weight:
M/F: 130 g
Scientific name from:
Old English: stearn=a tern
and L.: hirundo=the swallow
World Distribution:
BREEDS: Eurasia & North America, WINTERS: s Europe, s Asia, Africa, Australia & South America
Habitat:
Sandy seacoasts, in winter marshes, estuaries
Diet:
Mostly fish, also cristaceans in some areas, mostly by plunge-diving
TitBit:
Remarkably similar to the Arctic Tern, they are often both referred to as 'commic' terns, but a dark-tipped bill, paler plumage and shorter tail streamers should help identify this bird; it also frequently nests inland, unlike its cousin
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
No population trend available
Distribution:
No distribution maps available
British Population Size:
Summer:
10 thousand pairs
in 1998-02
First Record:
7th Century
Latest Survey:
Mitchell, P.I. et al. (2004) Seabird populations of Britain and Ireland Poyser, London
Conservation Status: AMBER
because
Localised Breeding Population,
Previous Assessments:
2002-2007
GREEN
1996-2001
GREEN
Races of Concern:
hirundo AMBER (Rare or Localised)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Most frequent in:
Estuaries
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
Summer:
220 to 320 thousand pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WBD(I), Bern(III), Bonn(II*), AEWA
Survey Results:
Seabird 2000 (warning: link to large pdf)
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
41 x 31 mm
Egg Weight:
20.2 g (of which 5 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
292
Clutch Size:
2 - 3 eggs
2.55 ± 0.72 (1 - 3) N = 143
Incubation:
21- 22 days
by the:
Female (occ. Male)
Fledging:
22 - 28days
as:
Semi-precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid:
Unavailable
Number of Broods:
1
Number Ringed:
4652
Adult Survival:
0.900
Juvenile Survival:
0.470 (to age 2 )
Age at First Breeding:
3
years
Typical Lifespan:
12
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
33yr 0m
Biometrics
Ring Size:
C2
Wing Length
Adult:
271.2 ± 6.5
Range
260 - 281 mm, N =304
Juvenile:
261.8 ± 8.6
247.5 - 275.5 mm, N =120
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Weight
Adult:
127.5 ± 9.55
Range
113.0 - 144.0 g , N =429
Juvenile:
126.8 ± 13.71
106.0 - 153.0 g , N =124
Male:
Insufficient Data
Female:
Insufficient Data
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Gaelic:
Steàrnag-chumanta
Welsh:
Morwennol Gyffredin
Danish:
Fjordterne
Dutch:
Visdief
Finnish:
Kalatiira
French:
Sterne pierregarin
German:
Flußseeschwalbe
Hungarian:
Küszvágó csér
Icelandic:
Sílaþerna
Irish:
Geabhróg
Italian:
Sterna comune
Norwegian:
Makrellterne
Polish:
Rybitwa rzeczna
Portuguese:
Andorinha-do-mar-comum
Spanish:
Charrán común
Swedish:
Fisktärna
Local Names: Sea Swallow, Darr, Rittack, Tarrock
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Hume, R. 1993 The Common Tern Hamlyn, London
[598.616 HUM]
Hume, R. 1993 The Common Tern Hamlyn, London
[598.616 HUM]
Palmer, R.S. (ed) 1941 A behaviour study of the common tern Boston Society of Natural History, Boston
[598.616 PAL]
See Also:
All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
Wikipedia entry
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides.com
These data should be cited as: Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.24, June 2009). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)
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Other Names
