Bird Guide

Large-billed Tern vs Roseate Tern

Large-billed Tern (Phaetusa simplex)

Large-billed Tern

Phaetusa simplex

Medium235 gRiverine

The large-billed tern is large, short-tailed tern with a large yellow bill. It is around 38 cm (15 in) in overall length and weighs 208–247 g (7.3–8.7 oz). The crown and ear-coverts are black, the upperparts are grey, the secondaries, primary coverts, lores and underparts are white. The legs and feet are yellow. A non-breeding adult has a paler crown and forehead.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Arthur Chapman · CC BY 2.0
Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii)

Roseate Tern

Sterna dougallii

Medium112 gMarine

This is a small-medium tern, 33–36 cm (13–14 in) long with a 67–76 cm (26–30 in) wingspan, which can be confused with the common tern, Arctic tern, and the larger, but similarly plumaged, Sandwich tern. The thin sharp bill is black, with a red base which develops through the breeding season, and is more extensive (to fully red) in the tropical and southern hemisphere subspecies. It is shorter-winged and has faster wing beats than common or Arctic tern. Voice: The call of the roseate tern is a very characteristic chuwit, similar to that of the spotted redshank, quite distinct from other terns.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Roseate Tern
Recorded by Sonothèque ADVL · Alarm call, flight call · Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer, Côtes-d'Armor, Brittany, France · CC0
Photo: Nathan Ruser · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Large-billed Tern and Roseate Tern.