Data Zone
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.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
| 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 |
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | does not normally occur in forest |
| Land-mass type | Average mass | 139 g |
| 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 | - |
| 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 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 4 | ||||||
|
|||||||||
| 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 22/11/2024.
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 22/11/2024.