Terns are most closely related to the gulls, They have a worldwide distribution. Many terns breeding in temperate zones are long-distance migrants. They are, in general, medium to large birds (23-53 cm), typically with gray or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. They have longish bills and webbed feet. They are lighter bodied and more streamlined than gulls, and look elegant in flight with long tails and long narrow wings. They make harsh, single-note calls. Most terns hunt fish by diving, often hovering first. Terns only glide infrequently. Apart from bathing, they only rarely swim, despite having webbed feet. Most terns nest in large, densely packed colonies. Depending on the species and habitat, the nests may consist of unlined scrapes in the ground, or of flimsy collections of sticks on trees or floating vegetation. [abstracted from Wikipedia]



Genus Chlidonias

Tern, Whiskered Chlidonias hybridus Found: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia
Photgraphed by:  1) Marek Szczepanek 



Genus Gelochelidon - 1 species

Tern, Gull-billed  Gelochelidon nilotica Found:  The Americas, Europe, Asia, Australia
Photographed by:  1) J M Garg - Chhilka, Orissa, India  2) Vincent P Lucas  3) Glen Fergus - Brisbane, Australia
   4) Cláudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil 



Genus Hydroprogne - 1 species

Tern, Caspian Hydroprogne caspia  Found: The Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia 
hotographed by:  1, 3, 5, 6) Dick Daniels - Half Moon Bay, California  2, 4) Dick - Half Moon Bay
   7) Dick - North Carolina  8) Len Blumin in Ignacio, Novato, California
8) Juvenile




Genus Onychoprion

Tern, Sooty Onychoprion fuscata   Found: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia
Photographed by: 1) Duncan Wright, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Tern Island, French Frigate Shoals Hawaii
  2, 4) Dick Daniels - Michaelmas Cay, Great Barrier Reef, Australia  3, 5) Dick - Michaelmas Cay
1, 2) Adult




Genus Sterna

Tern, Arctic Sterna paradisaea   Found: The Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia Photographed by: 1) Hillary Chambers  2) Alistair Rae   3) John Haddington  4) AndreasTrepte  5) Benjamin Dobson
5) Chick



Tern, Black-bellied  Sterna acuticauda   Found: south Asia
Photographed by: 1) Charlie Westerinen - northern Cambodia  2) Vinayak Kulkarni


Tern, Black-naped  Sterna sumatrana  Found: tropical and subtropical ocean areas of Asia, Africa, Australia
Photographed by: Aviceda - Lady Elliot Island, Queensland, Australia


Tern, Common Sterna hirundo   Found: The Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia Photographed by: 1) Len Blumin - Connecticut  2) Barloventomagico - Venezuela  3) Muchaxo - Portugal  4) Mr T in DC  - New York
    5, 8) Dick Daniels - Assateague Island in Virginia  6, 7) Dick - Assateague Island
1) Young juvenile  2) Juvenile  3) Nonbreeding  4 - 8) Breeding   



Tern, River aka Indian River Tern  Sterna aurantia  Found: Asia
Photographed by:  1) Kousik Nandy  2, 3) J M Garg - Pocharam lake, Andhra Pradesh, India


Tern, Roseate  Sterna dougallii  found: North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia
Photographed by: 1) Kirk Rogers USFWS - Maine  2, 3) Dick Daniels - Jamaica



Genus Sternula

Tern, Little Sternula albifrons   Found: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia
Photographed by: 1) Oystercatcher  2) JJ Harrison 3) Dick Daniels - Cairns, Australia



Genus Thalasseus
The Crested Terns

Tern, Greater-crested aka Crested Tern  aka Swift Tern  Thalasseus bergii  Found: Asia, Africa, Australia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Dick Daniels south of Cape Town, South Africa 
    3) Glen Fergus - Fingal Beach, Australia  4) Noodle Snacks  5) Quarti - Garey Beach, Royal National Park, Sydney
3, 4) Breeding