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The Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution breeding in temperate and sub-arctic regions of Europe, Asia and east and central North America. It is strongly migratoryLong-distance land bird migration Many species of land birds migrate very long distances, the most common pattern being for birds to breed in the temperate or arctic northern hemisphere and winter in warmer regions, often in the tropics or the southern he, wintering in the subtropical and tropical oceans. It is sometimes known as the sea swallow.

This species breeds in colonies on coasts and islands and often inland on suitable freshwater lakes. This latter practice is assisted by the provision of floating "tern rafts" to give a safe breeding area. It lays two to four eggs. Like many white terns, it is very defensive of its nest and young and will attack humans and other large predators, but unlike the more aggressive Arctic TernThe Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution breeding abundantly in arctic and sub-arctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America as far south as Brittany and Massachusetts. It is rarely hits the intruder, usually swerving off at the last moment.

Like all Sterna terns, the Common Tern feeds by plunge-diving for fish, from either the sea or freshwater lakes and large rivers. It usually dives directly, and not from the "stepped-hover" favoured by Arctic Tern. The offering of fish by the male to the female is part of the courtship display.

This is a medium-sized tern, most readily confused within its range with the similar Arctic Tern Sterna pardisaea and Roseate TernRoseate Tern : Animalia : Chordata : Aves : Charadriiformes : Sternidae Sterna dougallii Binomial name Sterna dougallii Montagu, 1813 The Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a number of geographical races Sterna dougalli.

Its thin sharp bill is red with a dark tip. Its longish legs are also red. Its upperwings show a dark primary wedge, unlike Arctic, in which they are uniformly grey. Its long tail extends only to the wingtips on the standing bird, unlike Arctic and Roseate Terns, which extend past the wingtips. It is not as pale as Roseate Tern, and has longer wings.

In winter, the forehead and underparts are white. Juvenile Common Terns show extensive ginger coloration and lack the scaly appearance of juvenile Roseate Terns.

The call is a clear piping, like Arctic TernThe Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution breeding abundantly in arctic and sub-arctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America as far south as Brittany and Massachusetts. It is but lower pitched and less strident.