LC
Common Tern Sterna hirundo



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note
The BirdLife Taxonomic Working Group is aware that phylogenetic analyses have been published which have proposed generic rearrangements which may affect this species, but prefers to wait until work by other taxonomists reveals how these changes affect the entire groups involved.

Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of_the_WP15.xls.
Christidis, L. and Boles, W.E. 2008. Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Australia.
Cramp, S. and Simmons, K.E.L. (eds). 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
SACC. 2005 and updates. A classification of the bird species of South America. Available at: https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm.
Turbott, E.G. 1990. Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand. Ornithological Society of New Zealand, Wellington.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2018 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status full migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type Average mass 139 g
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 112,000,000 km2 medium
Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) 190,000,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size unknown poor estimated 2012
Population trend unknown - suspected -
Generation length 11.5 years - - -

Population justification: The global population is estimated to number c.1,600,000-3,600,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2015). The European population is estimated at 316,000-605,000 breeding pairs (BirdLife International 2015).

Trend justification: The overall population trend is unclear. Some populations may be stable, while others have unknown trends (Wetlands International 2015). In North America, the species has undergone a large and statistically significant decrease over the last 40 years (-70.4% decline over 40 years, equating to a -26.2% decline per decade; data from Breeding Bird Survey and/or Christmas Bird Count: Butcher and Niven 2007). In Europe, the population is estimated to be increasing (BirdLife International 2015).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Afghanistan extant native yes
Albania extant native yes
Algeria extant native
Angola extant native
Anguilla (to UK) extant native
Antigua and Barbuda extant native
Argentina extant native
Armenia extant native yes
Aruba (to Netherlands) extant native
Australia extant native
Austria extant native yes
Azerbaijan extant native yes yes
Bahamas extant native
Bahrain extant native yes
Bangladesh extant native
Barbados extant native
Belarus extant native yes
Belgium extant native yes yes
Belize extant native yes
Benin extant native
Bermuda (to UK) extant native yes
Bhutan extant native
Bolivia extant native
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (to Netherlands) extant native yes
Bosnia and Herzegovina extant native yes
Brazil extant native
Brunei extant native
Bulgaria extant native yes
Cambodia extant native
Cameroon extant native
Canada extant native yes yes
Cape Verde extant native
Cayman Islands (to UK) extant native
Chile extant native
China (mainland) extant native
Cocos (Keeling) Islands (to Australia) extant vagrant
Colombia extant native
Comoros extant vagrant
Congo extant native
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the extant native
Cook Islands extant vagrant
Costa Rica extant native yes
Côte d'Ivoire extant native
Croatia extant native yes
Cuba extant native
Curaçao (to Netherlands) extant native yes
Cyprus extant native yes
Czechia extant native yes
Denmark extant native yes yes
Djibouti extant native
Dominica extant native
Dominican Republic extant native
Ecuador extant native
Egypt extant native
El Salvador extant native
Equatorial Guinea extant native
Eritrea extant native
Estonia extant native yes
Falkland Islands (Malvinas) extant native
Faroe Islands (to Denmark) extant native yes
Fiji extant vagrant yes
Finland extant native yes yes
France extant native yes yes
French Guiana extant native
Gabon extant native
Gambia extant native
Georgia extant native yes
Germany extant native yes yes
Ghana extant native
Gibraltar (to UK) extant native
Greece extant native yes yes
Grenada extant native
Guadeloupe (to France) extant native yes
Guam (to USA) extant native yes
Guatemala extant native
Guinea extant native
Guinea-Bissau extant native
Guyana extant native
Haiti extant native
Honduras extant native
Hong Kong (China) extant native
Hungary extant native yes
Iceland extant vagrant
India extant native
Indonesia extant native
Iran, Islamic Republic of extant native yes yes
Iraq extant native yes yes
Ireland extant native yes yes
Israel extant native yes yes
Italy extant native yes yes
Jamaica extant vagrant
Japan extant native
Jordan extant native yes
Kazakhstan extant native yes
Kenya extant native
Kuwait extant native yes
Kyrgyzstan extant native yes
Latvia extant native yes
Lebanon extant native yes
Liberia extant native
Libya extant native
Liechtenstein extant vagrant
Lithuania extant native yes
Luxembourg extant native
Madagascar extant native
Malawi extant vagrant
Malaysia extant native yes
Maldives extant vagrant
Mali extant native
Malta extant native
Marshall Islands extant native yes
Martinique (to France) extant native
Mauritania extant native yes
Mauritius extant native
Mexico extant native
Micronesia, Federated States of extant native yes
Moldova extant native yes yes
Mongolia extant native yes
Montenegro extant native yes yes
Montserrat (to UK) extant native
Morocco extant native
Mozambique extant native
Myanmar extant native
Namibia extant native
Nepal extant native
Netherlands extant native yes
New Caledonia (to France) extant native
New Zealand extant vagrant
Nicaragua extant native
Nigeria extant native
North Korea extant native
North Macedonia extant native yes
Northern Mariana Islands (to USA) extant native yes
Norway extant native yes
Oman extant native yes yes
Pakistan extant native
Palau extant native yes
Palestine extant native yes
Panama extant native
Papua New Guinea extant native
Paraguay extant vagrant yes
Peru extant native
Philippines extant native
Poland extant native yes yes
Portugal extant native yes
Puerto Rico (to USA) extant native
Qatar extant native yes
Réunion (to France) extant native
Romania extant native yes yes
Russia extant native yes yes
Russia (Asian) extant native yes
Russia (Central Asian) extant native yes
Russia (European) extant native yes yes
Saudi Arabia extant native yes
Senegal extant native yes
Serbia extant native yes yes
Seychelles extant native
Sierra Leone extant native
Singapore extant native
Sint Maarten (to Netherlands) extant native yes
Slovakia extant native yes
Slovenia extant native yes
Solomon Islands extant native
Somalia extant native
South Africa extant native
South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands extant native
South Korea extant native
Spain extant native yes yes
Sri Lanka extant native
St Barthelemy (to France) extant native
St Kitts and Nevis extant native
St Lucia extant native
St Martin (to France) extant native yes
St Pierre and Miquelon (to France) extant native yes yes
St Vincent and the Grenadines extant native
Sudan extant native yes
Suriname extant native
Sweden extant native yes yes
Switzerland extant native yes
Syria extant native yes yes
Taiwan, China extant native
Tajikistan extant native yes
Tanzania extant native
Thailand extant native
Timor-Leste extant native yes yes
Togo extant native
Trinidad and Tobago extant native
Tunisia extant native
Türkiye extant native yes
Turkmenistan extant native yes
Turks and Caicos Islands (to UK) extant native yes
Ukraine extant native yes yes
United Arab Emirates extant native yes yes
United Kingdom extant native yes
Uruguay extant native yes
USA extant native yes
Uzbekistan extant native yes
Vanuatu extant native
Venezuela extant native
Vietnam extant native
Virgin Islands (to UK) extant native yes
Virgin Islands (to USA) extant native yes
Western Sahara extant native
Yemen extant native yes
Zambia extant vagrant

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Anguilla (to UK) Cove Pond
Anguilla (to UK) Grey Pond
Anguilla (to UK) Long Salt Pond
Anguilla (to UK) Rendezvous Bay Pond
Anguilla (to UK) West End Pond
Argentina Bahía Samborombón
Aruba (to Netherlands) Oranjestad Reef Islands
Aruba (to Netherlands) San Nicolas Bay Reef Islands
Austria Delta of the Rhine
Austria March/Thaya riverine forest
Austria Neusiedler See
Austria Southern Seewinkel and Zitzmannsdorfer Wiesen
Azerbaijan Shahdidi spit
Azerbaijan Yashma Island
Bahamas Great Inagua
Belgium Schorren en Polder van de Beneden-Schelde
Belgium Voorhaven Zeebrugge and Baai van Heist
Belgium Zwin
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (to Netherlands) Pelkermeer Saltworks, Bonaire
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (to Netherlands) Washington-Slagbaai National Park, Bonaire
Bulgaria Atanasovsko Lake
Bulgaria Emine
Bulgaria Kalimok Complex
Bulgaria Mandra-Poda complex
Bulgaria Pomorie Lake
Bulgaria Srebarna
Canada Gull and Sandhill Island
Canada Kouchibouguac NP Sand Islands
Canada Lake St. Martin Islands
Canada Sable Island, Nova Scotia
Canada Tabusintac Lagoon and River Estuary
China (mainland) Aksu River basin
China (mainland) Bosten Lake
China (mainland) Desert and wetland from Northern Urumqi to Dabancheng
China (mainland) Oasis, Desert and Wetland at Mosuowan
China (mainland) Ulungur Hu and Jili Hu (Fu Hai)
Croatia Kvarner Islands
Croatia North Part of Zadar Archipelago
Croatia NW Dalmatia and Pag Island
Croatia Sava River Near Hruscica
Croatia Upper Drava River
Cuba Cayería Centro - Oriental de Villa Clara
Curaçao (to Netherlands) Jan Thiel Lagoon, Curaçao
Curaçao (to Netherlands) Malpais-St Michiel
Czechia Ceskobudejovicke rybniky ponds
Czechia Dehtár pond
Czechia Nove Mlyny middle reservoir
Czechia Trebonsko (Trebon region)
Denmark Hirsholmene
Denmark Roskilde Fjord, Selsø and Kattinge Søerne
Estonia Kahtla-Kübassaare
Estonia Pärnu bay (NEW)
Estonia Siiksaare-Oessaare bays
Estonia Väinameri
Estonia Vaindloo island
France Baie de Bourgneuf et marais breton
France Baie des Veys et Marais du Cotentin
France Baies de Morlaix et de Carantec
France Basse Vallée de la Durance
France Basse vallée du Var
France Bassée et plaines adjacentes
France Camargue
France Cap Gris-nez
France Cordon lagunaire de Sète à Agde
France Estuaire et embouchure de la Seine
France Etangs de Vendres, Pissevache et Lespignan
France Etangs Montpellierains
France Golfe du Morbihan et Etier de Penerf
France Iles Chausey
France Iles de la Colombière, de la Nellière et des Haches
France Ilôts de Trévorc'h
France Jaudy et Sept-Iles
France Littoral Augeron
France Marais salants de Noirmoutier
France Petite Camargue laguno-marine
France Salines de l'Etang de Berre
France Traicts et marais salants de la Presqu'île Guérandaise
France Val d'Allier : Saint-Yorre-Joze
France Val d'Allier Bourbonnais
France Vallée de la Garonne : Moissac
France Vallée de la Loire : de Nantes à Montsoreau
France Vallée de la Loire : environs de Blois
France Vallée de la Loire : environs de Montlouis-sur-Loire
France Vallée de la Loire : La Charité-sur-Loire
France Vallée de la Loire : Orléanais
France Vallée de la Loire: Pit majeur d'Iguerande à Décize
France Vallée du Rhin : Marckolsheim à Strasbourg
Germany Aland-Elbe lowlands
Germany Ammersee
Germany Carmzower Mühlensee
Germany Coast and lagoons of Western Pomerania
Germany Danube valley: Regensburg-Vilshofen
Germany Elbe lowlands Jerichow
Germany Elbe lowlands near Bertingen
Germany Elbe marshes between Stade and Otterndorf
Germany Emsaue (Rietberger Emsniederung - Steinhorster Becken)
Germany Federseeried
Germany Goldgrund and Daxlander Au
Germany Gravel pits Krauchenwies-Zielfingen
Germany Greifswalder Bodden
Germany Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park
Germany Hessian Rhine alluvion
Germany Heubachniederung/ Schwarzes Venn/ Borkenberge/ Halterner Seen
Germany Island of Usedom
Germany Lower Havel - Lake Schollene - Lake Gülpe
Germany Lower Inn: Haiming - Neuhaus including the Neuhaus, Egglfing, Ering, and Simbach reservoirs
Germany Lower reaches of River Weser, unembanked area
Germany Lower Rhine
Germany Lower Saxonian North Sea off the East Frisian Islands
Germany Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park
Germany Märkische Schweiz
Germany Mechtersheim clay pit
Germany Mittelwesermarsch
Germany Nossentiner-/Schwinzer Heide with Krakower Obersee and Plauer See
Germany Oberlausitz heathland and fishponds biosphere reserve
Germany Peitzer und Bärenbrücker Teiche
Germany Ponds and Elbe valley near Torgau
Germany Rhine flats Nonnenweier - Kehl
Germany Rhine flats Sasbach - Wittenweier
Germany Rietzer See
Germany Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park (includes the Halligs, Kniepsand/Amrum, Lister Koog, Rantumbecken, Rickelsb
Germany Starnberger See
Germany Uckermark lake region
Germany Untersee of Lake Constance
Germany Usedom lagoon (Peenestrom, Achterwasser, Kleines Haff with Neuwarper See)
Germany Vogelfreistätte Mittlere Isar-Stauseen
Germany Wagbach lowlands
Ghana Densu Delta Ramsar Site and vicinity
Ghana Muni-Pomadze Ramsar Site
Ghana Songor Ramsar Site
Hungary Alkaline lakes of Kiskunság
Hungary Hortobágy and Tisza-to
Hungary Kis-Sárrét
Hungary Lake Kis-Balaton
Hungary Lower Tisza Valley
Ireland Connemara Islands
Ireland Dublin Bay
Ireland Lady's Island Lake
Ireland Lough Swilly including Blanket Nook and Inch Lake
Ireland Magharee Islands, Mucklaghmore and Illaunbarnagh
Ireland Rockabill
Italy Asinara island, Piana island and Stintino peninsula
Italy Cagliari wetlands
Italy Grado and Marano lagoon
Italy Po Delta
Italy River Po from Dora Baltea mouth to Scrivia mouth
Italy River Po: from Ticino mouth to Boscone island
Italy Sinis and Oristano wetlands
Italy Tavolara archipelago, Cape Ceraso and Cape Figari
Italy Venice lagoon
Kazakhstan Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve
Kazakhstan Lake Alakol Islands
Kazakhstan Lesser Aral Sea
Kazakhstan Shoshkakol Lakes
Latvia Augsdaugava
Latvia Engure lake
Latvia Kemeri national park
Latvia Liepaja lake
Latvia Lubans and fish-ponds
Lithuania A part of the Vasaknos fish-farm
Lithuania Kalviai gravel pit
Lithuania Kretuonas Landscape Reserve
Lithuania Nemunas delta regional Park
Lithuania Unnamed islands at Niedus Lake with surrounding waters
Malaysia North-central Selangor coast
Malaysia Pulau Bruit National Park
Montenegro Bojana Delta
Montenegro Lower Moraca and Podgorica
Montenegro Skadar Lake
Montenegro Ulcinj saltpans
Mozambique Greater Bazaruto
Namibia Namib-Naukluft Park
Namibia Sandwich Harbour
Namibia Walvis Bay
Netherlands Haringvliet
Netherlands Lake IJsselmeer
Netherlands Mainland Coast
Netherlands Oosterschelde
Netherlands Wadden Sea
Netherlands Westerschelde & Saeftinghe
Oman Barr al Hikman
Philippines Manila Bay
Poland Barycz river valley
Poland Lower Vistula River Valley
Poland Malopolska Wisla river gap
Poland Middle Vistula River Valley
Poland Nysa reservoir
Poland Siemianowka Reseirvoir
Poland Skoki Gravel-Pit
Poland Swietokrzyskie Vistula River Valley
Poland Turek Site
Poland Upper Vistula River Valley
Poland Vistula river mouth
Poland Warta River Mouth
Portugal Contendas
Portugal Costa das Flores
Portugal Costa do Corvo
Portugal Ilhéu da Praia
Portugal Ilhéu da Vila
Portugal Ilhéu do Topo e Costa Adjacente
Portugal Ponta de São Lourenço
Portugal Porto Santo Oeste
Portugal Serra Branca
Romania Balta Albă - Amara - Jirlău
Romania Balta Mică a Brăilei
Romania Black Sea
Romania Blahniţa
Romania Buhuşu reservoir - Bacău - Tătărăşti
Romania Comana
Romania Danube Delta
Romania Jijiei şi Miletinului fish-ponds
Romania Lake Gălăţui
Romania Lake Oltina
Romania Prut river flood-plain - Vlădeşti - Frumuşiţa
Russia (Asian) Nevskoye Lake
Russia (Asian) Selenga delta
Russia (Asian) Ulukhkol' lake
Russia (Central Asian) Blagoveschenskaya (Kulunda lake and vicinity)
Russia (Central Asian) Dvuob'ye
Russia (Central Asian) Kurtan Lake
Russia (Central Asian) Lower Ob'
Russia (Central Asian) Man'yass lake
Russia (Central Asian) Saltosarayskoye lake
Russia (Central Asian) Upper streams of Ob' river
Russia (European) Beglitskaya sand-spit
Russia (European) Kamsko-Ikski area
Russia (European) Kazachka
Russia (European) Khanskoye Lake
Russia (European) Kiziltash limans
Russia (European) Yeiski salt-lakes
Serbia Donje Podrinje
Serbia Donje Pomoravlje
Serbia Gornje Pomoravlje
Serbia Taloznik secerane Kovin
Slovakia Danube floodplains
Slovakia Dubnica gravel pit
Slovakia Horná Orava
Slovakia Morava
Slovakia SÍňava
Slovenia River Drava
Slovenia Sečovlje saltpans
Slovenia Škocjan Bay
Slovenia Spodnja Sava
South Africa Orange River Mouth Wetlands
South Africa West Coast National Park and Saldanha Bay islands
Spain Aguas y acantilados del Norte de La Palma
Spain Albufera de Valencia marshes
Spain Cape Busto-Luanco
Spain Cape Candelaria-Ortigueira estuary-Cape Estaca de Bares
Spain Costa da Morte
Spain Ebro delta
Spain El Roque coastal cliffs
Spain Plataforma Marina del Delta del Ebro - Columbretes
Spain Salmor rocky islets
Spain Santa Pola salt-pans
Spain South-west coast of La Gomera
Spain Tabarca - Cabo de Palos
Spain Vallehermoso coast
St Barthelemy (to France) Îlets les Petits Saints et Gros Islets
Sweden Färnebofjärden
Sweden Gräsö Archipelago
Sweden Lake Solgen
Sweden Lomma Bight
Sweden Lövsta Bight – Björn Archipelago
Sweden Western part of Lake Mälaren
Thailand Na Muang Krabi
Türkiye Gediz Delta
Turkmenistan Ogurjaly island
Turks and Caicos Islands (to UK) East Caicos and adjacent areas
Ukraine Bilosarajs'ka peninsula
Ukraine Elanchyk river valley
Ukraine Karkinits'ka and Dzharylgats'ka bays
Ukraine Kryva peninsula
Ukraine Kuyal'nyts'kyj lyman
Ukraine Syvash Bay
Ukraine Tyligul's'kyj lyman
Ukraine Yagorlyts'ka and Tendrivs'ka Bays
United Kingdom Alde - Ore Estuary
United Kingdom Breydon Water
United Kingdom Carlingford Lough
United Kingdom Coquet Island
United Kingdom Dee Estuary
United Kingdom Dungeness To Pett Levels
United Kingdom Farne Islands
United Kingdom Firth of Forth
United Kingdom Firth of Forth Islands
United Kingdom Isles of Scilly
United Kingdom Larne Lough
United Kingdom Lough Neagh and Lough Beg
United Kingdom Mid-Essex Coast
United Kingdom Moray Basin, Firths and Bays
United Kingdom North Norfolk Coast
United Kingdom Poole Harbour
United Kingdom Ribble and Alt Estuaries
United Kingdom Solent Marshes and Southampton Water
United Kingdom Strangford Lough and islands
United Kingdom The Wash
United Kingdom Ynys Feurig, Cemlyn Bay and the Skerries
USA Great Gull Island
USA Isles of Shoals
Venezuela Parque Nacional Archipiélago Los Roques

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Marine Coastal/Supratidal Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands suitable breeding
Marine Intertidal Rocky Shoreline suitable breeding
Marine Intertidal Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, Etc suitable breeding
Marine Intertidal Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches suitable breeding
Marine Neritic Estuaries suitable breeding
Marine Neritic Estuaries suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Macroalgal/Kelp major breeding
Marine Neritic Macroalgal/Kelp major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Pelagic suitable breeding
Marine Neritic Pelagic suitable non-breeding
Marine Neritic Seagrass (Submerged) major breeding
Marine Neritic Seagrass (Submerged) major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel major breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs major breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy major breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy major non-breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy-Mud major breeding
Marine Neritic Subtidal Sandy-Mud major non-breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) suitable breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) suitable breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) suitable non-breeding
Altitude 0 - 4000 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Species disturbance, Reduced reproductive success
Human intrusions & disturbance Recreational activities Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Species disturbance, Reduced reproductive success

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Food - human subsistence, national
Pets/display animals, horticulture international

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Common Tern Sterna hirundo. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/common-tern-sterna-hirundo on 23/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/12/2024.