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  • Synonyms Sea-swallow, Black-billed Common Tern
  • Old latin name for bird Sterna fluviatilis

Common Ternbird sounds *

Paused...
  • 1.
    Call, flight call, short calls, © Stanislas Wroza
    France
  • 2.
    Call, © Lars Edenius
    Sweden
  • 3.
    Call, © johan lundgren
    Sweden
  • 4.
    Call, flight call, short call, © Stanislas Wroza
    France
  • 5.
    Bill snapping, threat call, © Marco Dragonetti
    Italy
  • 6.
    Call, flight call, © Stanislas Wroza
    France
  • 7.
    Flight call, threat call, © Marco Dragonetti
    Poland
* All sounds were found via Xeno-canto.org API

Related species

Where to see Common Tern

  • Breeding region Eurasia, North America
  • Breeding subregion widespread, subarctic, temperate, and locally tropical Northern Hemisphere
  • Non breeding region widespread coasts to s South America, s Africa, w Madagascar, and s Australia

Common Tern subspecies (4)

SubspeciesBreeding subregionNonbreeding subregionExtinct
Sterna hirundo hirundoAzores, Madeira and Canary Is. (Macaronesia, w of nw Africa); Tunisia (n Africa), Mauritania and Senegal (w Africa); inland Europe (except Arctic) to nw Siberia and w China; inland Northwest Territories to Montana, James Bay and se Canada and New England, coastal w North Atlantic to South Carolina; Bahamas (erratic), and islands n of Venezuelas oceansNo
Sterna hirundo longipennisne Siberia s to Kamchatka, Sakhalin, Ussuriland and e Mongolia to ne Chinase Asia and Philippines to AustraliaNo
Sterna hirundo minussensisc, s Siberia s to Transbaikalia, s Russian Altai and sc MongoliaIndian OceanNo
Sterna hirundo tibetanac Asia to Xinjiang (w China) e to nw Inner Mongolia, s through Tibetan Plateau from e Ladakh to Qinghaie Indian OceanNo

Species Name in Other Languages

LanguageTranslation
AfrikaansGewone Seeswael (Gewone Sterretjie), Gewone Sterretjie, Gewone Seeswael
AlbanianDallëndyshe e zakonshme deti
Arabicخطاف البحر, خرشنة شائعة, الخرشنة الشائعة الجنة, الخرشنة الشائعة
ArmenianԳետային Ջրածիծառ, [Getayin Jratsitsar ]
Azerbaijaniçay su qaranquşu, adi su qaranquşu, Çay sternası, Çay susüpürəni, adi susüpürən
Bashkirҡарабаш сарлаҡ, ҡарабаш аҡсарлаҡ , йылға аҡсарлағы , йылға сарлағы, керелдәк сарлаҡ
BasqueTxenada, Txenada arrunt, Txenada arrunta, Xatrac comú
BelarusianРачная крычка, Крычка рачная
Bengaliপাতি পানচিল, ঩াচত ঩ানচচর
BretonSkravig boutin, Perig, Scravig, Gwennili-mor, Skravig, Ar skravig boutin, Skrav
BulgarianРечна рибарка
Catalanxatrac comú, Llambritja, Curroc
Chinese长翅海燕, [chang-chi hai-yan], 普通燕鸥, 燕鷗, 普通燕鷗, [yan-ou], [putong yan-ou]
Chinese (Traditional)普通燕鷗, 燕鷗, 長翅海燕
Chuvashюханшыв крачки, ахаль шывчĕкеç, шыв чĕкеçĕ
CornishMorwennol
Creetaskateneoo kiask
CroatianCrvenokljuna Cigra, crvenokljuna čigra
Czechrybák obecný
DanishFjordterne
DutchVisdief, Visdiefje
EsperantoHirunda ŝterno
EstonianJogitiir, jõgitiir
FaroeseKriterna
Finnishkalatiira
FrenchSterne hirondelle, Hirondelle de mer, Sterne commune, Pierre-Garin, Sterne pierregarin
FrisianWytstirns
GalicianXatrac comú, Carrán común
Georgianმდინარის თევზიყლაპია, ჩვეულებრივი თევზიყლაპია
GermanFluss-Seeschwalbe, Flussseeschwalbe, Flußseeschwalbe
GreekΠοταμόγλαρονο, Ποταμογλάρονο, Θαλασσοχελιδόνα, Πoταμoγλάρovo
GuaraniAtî
Hebrewשחפית ים
Hungarianküszvágó csér
IcelandicSílaþerna
IndonesianDara laut biasa, Dara laut hirunda, Burung Dara Laut Biasa, Daralaut Biasa, Dara-laut biasa, Burung Dara-laut Biasa
IrishGeabhróg
ItalianSterna comune
Japaneseアジサシ
Kazakhөзен қарқылдағы, Єзен қарқылдағы, кәдімгі қырқылдақ, өзен қарқылдақ шағаласы, өзен шағаласы
Korean제비갈매기
Latvianupes zīriņš
Lithuanianupinė žuvėdra, Kirlė, Upine žuvedra
LuxembourgishFlossséischmuewel
Macedonianречна чигра, Речна рибарка, Обична вртимушка
MalayBurung Camar, Camar Siput, Burung Camar Siput
Malayalamചോരക്കാലി ആള
MalteseĊirlewwa tal-Baħar, Cirlewwa tal-Bahar
ManxSpithag, Gibbyn Gant, Sternag chadjin, Gollan marrey, Spyrryd
Mongolianхараацай цахлай, хараацайлаг цахлай, Хараалай, Эгэл хараалай
Nepaliवायु ङ्घयालङ्घयाले
Northern SamiGuollečearret, Mákreallacearret
Norwegianmakrellterne
Norwegian NynorskMakrellterne
Persianپرستو دریایی معمولی, پرستودریایی معمولی
PolishRybitwa różowa, rybitwa rzeczna, Rybitwa pospolita, Rybitwa rózowa, Rybitwa zwyczajna
PortugueseAndorinha-do-mar-comum, Gaivina, Inha-do-mar-comum, andorinha do mar comum, trinta-réis, Trinta-réis-de-bico-preto, Garajau-comum, Trinta-réis-boreal, Gaivina-comum, andorinha-do-mar-comum, Trinta-réis-boreal / Gaivina
RomanianChiră de baltă
RomanshPestgarel da flum
RussianОбыкновенная крачка, Крачка речная, Rechnaya Krachka, Речная крачка
SerbianОбична чигра, Obična čigra, obicna cigra
Slovakrybár riečny, Rybár obyčajný
Sloveniannavadna čigra, navadna cigra
SpanishGaviotín pico grueso, Gaviotín boreal, Charrán piquinegro, Gaviotín, Gaviota Común, Gaviotín Común, Golondrina de Mar, Visdief, Gaviota golondrina común, Charrán pico grueso, Charrán común, Golondrina-marina Común, Gaviotín golondrina
SwahiliShakwe Mbayuwayu
Swedishfisktärna
TamilAala, [Kadal kuruvi]
Tatarелга акчарлагы
Thaiนกนางนวลแกลบทะเล, นกนางนวลแกลบธรรมดา
TurkishDeniz-kırlangıcı, Өзен қарқылдақ, Sumru
Turkmenderýa çerigi
UkrainianРічковий крячок, крячок річковий, Крячок річковий
Uzbekсув чигиртчиси, дарѐ чигиртчиси, оддий чигиртчи
VietnameseChim Nhàn, Nhàn, Chim Nhàn thường
WelshYsgraell, Gwennol-y-môr, Morwennol gyffredin, Môr-wennol gyffredin, Ysgrechen
XhosaUnothenteza