Learn what every symbol on the card means.Full credits and sources at beakbrain.com/symbols
CoastalScrapeMedium · 209 g
ID tip
This is a medium-large tern, 35–43 cm long and with a 88–105 cm wingspan; its weight ranges from 185–242 g. It is very similar in size and general appearance to its three very close relatives Sandwich tern, Elegant tern and Chinese crested tern. The summer adult has a black cap, black legs and a long sharp orange bill. The upperwings, rump and central tail feathers are grey and the underparts white. The primary flight feathers darken during the summer. In winter, the forehead becomes white. The call is a loud grating noise like Sandwich tern.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Lesser Crested Tern
One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is October, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Lesser Crested Tern
The map shades 55 countries with regular records, and 6 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
Recorded as a rare visitor in United Kingdom, France, Portugal, Switzerland, Gabon, Austria.
About the Lesser Crested Tern
The lesser crested tern is a tern in the family Laridae.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
West African Crested TernThalasseus albididorsalisThe West African crested tern is one of the three larger crested terns, along with royal tern and greater crested tern.
Chinese Crested TernThalasseus bernsteiniIt is a medium-large tern 38–43 cm long, closely similar in appearance to Sandwich tern T. sandvicensis, Cabot's tern T. acuflavidus, and lesser crested tern T. bengalensis.
Elegant TernThalasseus elegansThis is a medium-large tern, with a long, slender, slightly downcurved orange bill, pale gray upperparts and white underparts.
Side by side: Greater Crested Tern vs Lesser Crested Tern · Elegant Tern vs Lesser Crested Tern · Lesser Crested Tern vs West African Crested Tern
Learn the Lesser Crested Tern in the BeakBrain App
Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.
Play today's Daily BirdEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.