Data Zone
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.
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.
| 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 | 149 g |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 8,980,000 km2 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) | 12,100,000 km2 | medium |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | unknown | poor | estimated | 2009 |
| Population trend | increasing | - | estimated | - |
| Generation length | 11 years | - | - | - |
Population justification: The global population is estimated to number c.120,000 individuals.
Trend justification: In North America, this species has undergone a small or statistically insignificant increase over the last 40 years (data from Breeding Bird Survey and/or Christmas Bird Count: Butcher and Niven 2007).
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antigua and Barbuda | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Bahamas | extant | native | ||||
| Belize | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Bermuda (to UK) | extant | native | ||||
| Brazil | extant | native | ||||
| Canada | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Cayman Islands (to UK) | extant | native | ||||
| Costa Rica | extant | native | yes | |||
| Cuba | extant | native | ||||
| Dominican Republic | extant | native | ||||
| El Salvador | extant | native | ||||
| Guadeloupe (to France) | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| Guatemala | extant | native | ||||
| Haiti | extant | native | ||||
| Honduras | extant | native | ||||
| Iceland | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Ireland | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Jamaica | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Mexico | extant | native | ||||
| Montserrat (to UK) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Netherlands | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Nicaragua | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Panama | extant | vagrant | yes | |||
| Portugal | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Puerto Rico (to USA) | extant | native | ||||
| Spain | extant | vagrant | ||||
| St Vincent and the Grenadines | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Turks and Caicos Islands (to UK) | extant | native | ||||
| United Kingdom | extant | vagrant | ||||
| USA | extant | native | yes | |||
| Virgin Islands (to UK) | extant | vagrant | ||||
| Virgin Islands (to USA) | extant | vagrant |
| Country/Territory | IBA Name |
|---|---|
| Canada | Eastern Lake St. Clair |
| Mexico | Bahía de Ceuta - Cospita |
| Mexico | Bahía Lechuguilla |
| Mexico | Bahía Santa María |
| Mexico | Ensenada de Pabellones |
| Mexico | Estero Cardonal |
| Mexico | Marismas Nacionales |
| Mexico | Sistema Lagunario Huizache - Caimanero |
| USA | Barataria Terrebonne |
| USA | Barrier Island/Lagoon System |
| USA | Ogden Bay UT03 |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Neritic | Macroalgal/Kelp | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Macroalgal/Kelp | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Pelagic | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Seagrass (Submerged) | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Seagrass (Submerged) | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy-Mud | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy-Mud | major | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | suitable | breeding |
| Altitude | 1000 - 2500 m | Occasional altitudinal limits |
| Purpose | Scale |
|---|---|
| Pets/display animals, horticulture | international |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/forsters-tern-sterna-forsteri on 23/11/2024.
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 23/11/2024.