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Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) — photo 1 of 5
© Mdf CC BY-SA 3.0

Gulls and terns · Shorebirds

Caspian Tern

Hydroprogne caspia

Summer visitor

Voice

Call

Joost van Bruggen

0:14

Call

Joost van Bruggen

0:05

How to recognize it

  • 48–60 cm, wingspan 127–145 cm; larger than most terns

  • Heavy red-orange bill with a small black tip

  • White head and underparts, black cap, pale grey back and upperwings

  • Slow wingbeats, tail only slightly forked, loud heron-like croak

About the species

The Caspian tern looks bold and solid in the air, with a strong red bill and a slower, heavier wingbeat than most terns. Its tail is only slightly forked, which gives the whole shape a calmer, less sharp look.

It often gathers in colonies and may range far from them when feeding. The voice is rough and loud, more like a heron’s croak than a typical tern call, so it can announce itself before it comes into view.

For breeding, it chooses sandy coasts and islands, and during migration it may turn up over inland waters too. It mainly takes fish by plunging from above, but will also eat large insects, eggs and young of other nesting species, and even rodents.

Where to find

  • Along wide embankments and open river stretches, where fish gather — the Caspian tern hovers high before a sharp plunge.

  • By sandy spits, silted shoals, and bare islets on reservoirs — look for low skimming flight over the water and a loud croaking call.

  • Along canals and large ponds during migration — it often passes in small groups on long, straight flights.

  • Near docks, breakwaters, and stony shorelines — it perches on open points and scans the water from above.

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