Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)

Identification & Behavior: ~35.5 cm (14 in). The Arctic Tern in basic plumage is mostly white with light gray upperparts and a deeply forked tail. In alternate plumage, it has light gray underparts. Adult birds have red bill and legs in all plumages. Juvenile birds have a dark bill with reddish base of the lower mandible. It is similar to the South American Tern, which also has a red bill and red legs in all plumages, but the Arctic Tern is highly pelagic and is unlikely to be seen near land.

Status: The Arctic Tern is a fairly common Boreal transient migrant to pelagic waters of Peru. It is highly pelagic and unlikely to be seen from the coast, although appears to wander as a vagrant to Amazonia. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, Bo, and Ch.

Name in Spanish: Gaviotín Artico.

Sub-species: Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea), Pontopiddan 1763.

Meaning of Name: Sterna: En. Stearn or starn= specific English name for a tern. paradisaea: L. paradisaea, paradisus= paradeisos of paradise, land of the pleasure of the Persian kings.

See more of the Family Laridae