How to identify
This delightful chattering seabird is the UK's smallest tern. It is short-tailed and has a fast flight. Its bill is a distinctive yellow with a black tip. It's noisy in breeding groups, where it also performs its elaborate aerial display. The male calls and carries a fish to attract a mate, who then chases him up high before he descends, gliding with wings in a 'V'.
Its vulnerable nesting sites and its decline in Europe make it an Amber List species. It is also listed as a Schedule 1 species in The Wildlife and Countryside Act. Key
- Resident
- Passage
- Summer
- Winter
* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations. - Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec