South American Tern (Sterna hirundinacea)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

South American Tern

Sterna hirundinacea Lesson, RP, 1831

40–44 cmLength188 gWeight

The South American tern (Sterna hirundinacea) is a species of tern found in coastal regions of southern South America, including the Falkland Islands, ranging north to Peru (Pacific coast) and Brazil (Atlantic coast).

Busiest months: November · Most records: Chile, Argentina, Falkland Islands

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: November · Most records: Chile, Argentina, Falkland Islands

South American Tern has been recorded at 113 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 7 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. SN Humedal Río Maipo – DesembocaduraChile1,619 records
  2. Transbordador Pargua-ChacaoChile1,101 records
  3. Reserva Natural Urbana Bahía EncerradaArgentina871 records
More places
  1. Canal BeagleArgentina682 records
  2. Cape PembrokeFalkland Islands650 records
  3. Valparaíso – PelágicoChile575 records
  4. Quintero – PelágicoChile558 records
  5. Sea Lion IslandFalkland Islands486 records
  6. Río Lluta – DesembocaduraChile429 records
  7. Río Elqui – DesembocaduraChile371 records

Countries and regions with the most records

ChileArgentinaFalkland IslandsUruguayEcuadorPeruBrazil

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 South American tern (Sterna hirundinacea) is a species of tern found in coastal regions of southern South America, including the Falkland Islands, ranging north to Peru (Pacific coast) and Brazil (Atlantic coast). It is generally the most common tern in its range. The smaller, highly migratory common tern closely resembles it.

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

Questions

How big is the South American Tern?

The South American Tern is about 40–44 cm long and weighs around 188 g.

Where does the South American Tern live?

Its breeding range: South America: coastal southern Peru and Espiritu Santo (east-central Brazil) to Tierra del Fuego, Cape Horn islands and Falkland Islands. It is most often recorded in Chile, Argentina and Falkland Islands.

When is the best time to see the South American Tern?

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

Is the South American Tern endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the South American Tern as Least Concern.

What does the South American Tern eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the South American Tern in?

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

At a glance

Length
40–44 cm
Weight
188 g
Habitat
Ocean
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Migratory
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
297 mm
Tail
172 mm
Bill
50 mm
Tarsus
22 mm

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

Range

South America: coastal southern Peru and Espiritu Santo (east-central Brazil) to Tierra del Fuego, Cape Horn islands and Falkland 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 paradisaeaAntarctic TernAntarctic TernSterna vittataKerguelen TernKerguelen TernSterna virgataCommon 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
South American Tern

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

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