Kerguelen Tern (Sterna virgata)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Kerguelen Tern

Sterna virgata Cabanis, 1875

126 gWeight

The Kerguelen tern (Sterna virgata) is a tern of the Southern Hemisphere.

Busiest months: February and November · Most records: French Southern Territories

Near Threatened

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: February and November · Most records: French Southern Territories

Kerguelen Tern has been recorded at 5 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Ile HauteFrench Southern Territories44 records
  2. Port-aux-FrançaisFrench Southern Territories39 records
  3. Cap RatmanoffFrench Southern Territories20 records
More places
  1. Ile MayèsFrench Southern Territories9 records
  2. Baie du MarinFrench Southern Territories8 records

Countries and regions with the most records

French Southern Territories

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Kerguelen tern (Sterna virgata) is a tern of the Southern Hemisphere.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Kerguelen Tern?

The Kerguelen Tern weighs around 126 g.

Where does the Kerguelen Tern live?

Its breeding range: Indian Ocean: subantarctic islands of western, central South Indian Ocean: Crozet, Prince Edward, and Kerguelen islands. It is most often recorded in French Southern Territories.

When is the best time to see the Kerguelen Tern?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in February and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Kerguelen Tern endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Kerguelen Tern as Near Threatened.

What does the Kerguelen Tern eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Kerguelen Tern in?

It belongs to the family Gulls, Terns, Skimmers (Laridae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Weight
126 g
Habitat
Ocean
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Partial migrant
Conservation
Near Threatened
More measurements
Wing
250 mm
Tail
124 mm
Bill
33 mm
Tarsus
18 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Indian Ocean: subantarctic islands of western, central South Indian Ocean: Crozet, Prince Edward, and Kerguelen islands

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Genus
Sterna

Other birds in the genus Sterna

River TernRiver TernSterna aurantiaForster's TernForster's TernSterna forsteriSnowy-crowned TernSnowy-crowned TernSterna trudeauiArctic TernArctic TernSterna paradisaeaSouth American TernSouth American TernSterna hirundinaceaAntarctic TernAntarctic TernSterna vittataCommon TernCommon TernSterna hirundoWhite-cheeked TernWhite-cheeked TernSterna repressaBlack-naped TernBlack-naped TernSterna sumatranaRoseate TernRoseate TernSterna dougalliiWhite-fronted TernWhite-fronted TernSterna striataBlack-bellied TernBlack-bellied TernSterna acuticauda
Kerguelen Tern

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by simben. ↗

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