Michele Mendi

Small tern breeding solitary or colonially in a wide variety of flat and open habitats in coastal and inland areas, increasingly on roofs. Breeds patchily in most of Europe, also Asia and N America.  Strongly migratory, European population wintering mainly along coasts of Africa, bays, harbours, lakes and rivers. Geolocators revealed offshore wintering at upwelling seas of W Africa is common (Becker et al. 2016). Large variation in migratory strategies among individuals, but high repeatability within (Kürten, et al. 2022). European population 316,000-605,000 breeding pairs, increasing.

Season of assessment

B

Population trendUnknown
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		881000-1430000,1120000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Common Tern

Movements mainly N-S, with connectivity from breeding to wintering areas in W Africa (Senegal to Ghana), and S Africa (Namibia to S Africa). Birds from NW Europe predominantly winter W Africa with just 2% in S Africa, of W European birds c.20% winters S Africa, of birds from N and C Europe c.50% winters S Africa, E European birds all winter in S, and some E Africa, but latter common based on geolocators even for C European birds (Kralj et al. 2020). Indication for leapfrog migration; birds from Finland move longest and winter predominantly in S Africa, birds from SW and SC Europe more often found in W Africa N to Mauretania. Birds from Azores connect to E Brazil and Argentina. Otherwise, few connections to both N and S America, 3 birds reached Australia, 2 India.

Recoveries by Condition for Common Tern

More than three fifth of all re-encounters are ringing recoveries or birds otherwise identified, e.g. rings being read in the field, especially after 1990 and predominantly in W Europe, especially the Netherlands and Belgium where many colour-ringing projects. Dead birds make up 30% of total, occurring equally across entire range. Although common terns are long lived, mortality during the first two years of life, between fledging and first breeding exceeds 50% and is strongly related to fledging body mass (Braasch et al. 2009). Among dead birds, 6% of total was shot or intentionally taken, especially in Denmark, France, Spain and W Africa, but after 1990 only 1% of total was.

Annual Movements for Common Tern

From mid Nov to begin Apr all recoveries are in Africa S of Sahara, then rapid Northward spread; Mid Apr concentration in Netherlands, few elsewhere in Europe, begin May concentrations in British Isles, Netherlands, Germany, few Baltic, end May all breeding sites filled, concentrations in Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, E Germany along Elbe SE to C Europe, Baltic, Finland, Black Sea and Azores. Distribution remains stable until end Jul. Quite some birds remain in Africa during summer. Begin Aug birds appear at coasts of France and Iberia, end Aug increase in W Africa. Finland and inland C Europe vacated begin Sep. Mid Sep birds leave Scotland, mid Oct birds become sparse in Europe, begin Nov very few left, mainly Netherlands. Winter encounters are odd birds, possibly long dead.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Common Tern

Connections in Nov-Mar few and local in all regions. Breeders (Jun-Jul) in NW, W Europe connect to W and, fewer, S Africa Sep-Feb, immatures also Mar-Jul. Birds passing in May and Aug-Sep strongly connected to Fennoscandia in Jun-Aug. Breeders (May-Jul) in C and N Europe connect to W, SW Europe Aug-Oct; W, S Africa Oct-Jan. Fewer C European breeders to Black Sea Aug-Sep, M East, E Africa in Oct-Apr (imm. Jun-Jul). E European breeders (Jun-Jul) connect to S Africa Nov-Mar, few M East, E Africa Jan-May. Passage Mar-May and Aug-Oct in SW Europe connects to NW, W, C and N Europe in Jun-Jul, local breeders Jun-Jul to S America (from Azores) and W Africa mainly in Jan. Connections from ‘other regions’ best reveal full wintering range and extent to which immature birds remain there May-Aug.

Henk van der Jeugd

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Becker, P.H., Schmaljohann, H., Riechert, J., Wagenknecht, G., Zajková, Z., González-Solís, J.2016 . Common Terns on the East Atlantic Flyway: temporal–spatial distribution during the non-breeding period. Journal of Ornithology 157 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-016-1346-2) : 927–940
Braasch, A., Schauroth, C., Becker, P.H.2009 . Post-fledging body mass as a determinant of subadult survival in Common Terns Sterna hirundo. Journal of Ornithology 150 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-008-0362-2) : 401–407
Kralj, J., Martinović, M., Jurinović, L., Szinai, P., Sütő, S., Preiszner, B.2020 . Geolocator study reveals east African migration route of Central European Common Terns. Avian Research 11 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40657-020-00191-z)
Kürten, N., Schmaljohann, H., Bichet, C., Haest, B., Vedder, O., González-Solís, J., Bouwhuis, S.2022 . High individual repeatability of the migratory behaviour of a long-distance migratory seabird. Movement Ecology 10 Link to Article (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-022-00303-y)

Back to Analysis