forster's tern vs common tern

Unlike the industrious smaller terns, several Caspian terns were lazing on the breakwater. Forster's Tern looks so much like a Common Tern that it was largely overlooked by Audubon and other pioneer birders. Elegant, Black vs. White-winged, Sooty vs. Bridled, Common vs. Arctic, Common vs. Roseate, and perhaps most frequently of all, Common vs. Forster's. Note that the upper wing is uniformly gray both before and after the ‘elbow’. The population of Forster's Tern is about 120,000 individual birds. Like many birders, I struggled with these terns for a long, long time. Their tails may be shorter too. 4. In breeding plumage, it has a light gray mantle with silvery-white primaries. I used to look at the undersides of the bird…the body and wings, whereas now I focus on the upper surface of the wings. Forster's Tern 4. At very close range, you may be able to see that the tail streamers are dark on the inner web, white on the outer web, and that the tail is pale gray, leaving a white rump area between the pale gray back and tail. Note the darker gray primaries, tail streamers about equal to the wingtips, shorter legs, and pale gray breast (contrasting, on this bird, with the white cheek). For me the folded wingtips are actually more reliable, with the Common Tern having black wingtips and the Forster’s Tern having grayish wingtips. Forster's tern (Sterna forsteri) is a tern in the family Laridae.The genus name Sterna is derived from Old English "stearn", "tern", and forsteri commemorates the naturalist Johann Reinhold Forster.. Most common terns for the majority of the year have a dark wedge or spike running from the tips of the outer … Compare the photos of soaring birds below. For me the bill color is somewhat debatable, but the wingtips aren’t, and using the combination of both leads to a much more reliable conclusion. But note the leg length; the Common Tern has shorter legs than the Forster’s, just like the field guides say. Those wingtips will wear away and become shorter as the season progresses and then becomes an unreliable indicator. The Forster's tern has a distinctive black eye patch except in the breeding season. Finally, the tail can extend considerably further than the folded wingtips of Forster’s Terns, but this is most easily seen early in the year. Birders struggle with tern identification...it is a source of Fear and Loathing for beginner and veteran alike. Forster’s Terns molt a little earlier in the season than Common Tern, so birds that are losing their black cap in July are likely to be Forster’s, whereas those retaining their full black caps in late August are more likely to be Common. And then we can start working on shorebirds! NON-DIAGNOSTIC FEATURES: (1) On average, a Forster’s bill averages stouter than a Common’s, more orange in color, and with more black on the outer part (up to half). See Fig. Graceful and tern-like in many of its actions, this striking little gull displays flashing white outer primaries that contrast with a gray back. The Forster's Tern has a broad, blurry trailing edge to the primaries where it is thin and crisp in the Arctic and very restricted in the Roseate. I haven't seen enough terns to appreciate the differences between Forster's and Common tern. Forster's Terns have a slightly heavier bill that in the breeding season is orange rather than Common Tern's red bill. Here is an immature Common Tern in late July for comparison. Now after observing several hundreds of these birds this summer, often in locations where both species are found intermixed, I feel like I’ve finally broken through. Forster’s Tern sometimes arrives in March and is regular through both April and May. ), or they were difficult to see (the edging on the tail feathers is seldom apparent even in good lighting, and only in flight). But look at the wingtips…they are jet black, unmistakably characteristic of Common Tern. I know Forster's have longer tails, whiter breasts and whiter primaries. ps…in case you haven’t figured it out, the bird in the uppermost photo at the beginning of this post is a Common Tern. If you wish, feel free to write us for our opinions — or guesses. In this bird the wingtips are gray, pointing towards Forster’s. Secondarily, note the slightly thinner, redder bill with a bit less black at the tip.Courtesy Peter Prokosch, through GRIDArendal, at www.grida.no/resources/2838. The common tern (Sterna hirundo) is a seabird in the family Laridae.This bird has a circumpolar distribution, its four subspecies breeding in temperate and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia and North … These are “soft” indicators, however, and should not be the only basis of identification. Yes, its a tern, but which one? In breeding plumage, the Common Tern has a light gray mantle and belly, a white tail, a white face, and a black cap. These pictures seem to … Fig. I was ready to wave the white flag and surrender. Well, Forster’s Tern is supposed to have a light orange bill, whiter body and wings, a tail that extends beyond the folded wingtips, and longer legs, while Common Tern sports a deeper orange bill, gray body and darker wings, a tail extending the same length as the wingtips, and with black on its outermost tail feathers. COMMON TERN by Nick Anich A more dependable field mark in spring is to compare the back with the color of the primaries. Note the pale silvery-gray to whitish primaries, the long tail streamers extending past the wingtips, the long legs, and the pure white underparts. At very close range, you may be able to see that the tail is white (not pale gray, thus no rump contrast) with dark outer webs (not inner) to the outer tail feathers. The tail extends beyond the wingtips when the bird is perched. It is easy to misidentify, especially in spring and because of plumage variability in the similar Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri), … The brown or ginger portions of the wing and body plumage wear away by late summer, leaving the mostly silvery late fall plumage shown above. Note the black patch on the hindneck, not surrounding the eye, and the presence of the diagnostic carpal bar on the wing. Don’t expect it to be entirely  clear, especially when starting out. The restriction of the dark patch to the eye and the lack of a carpal patch both point to Forster’s. In nonbreeding plumage they have a black comma shaped ear patch. Tricky because shadowing of underparts suggests a light gray body color; in full sun, it would be all white. There is also a fairly extensive black wedge at the wing tips. However, note long legs and clean white underparts, and additionally the bill structure and color. (1) A first-summer (one-year-old) Forster’s will have dark outer primaries. 4-5 is a Forsters Tern… The Forster's Tern has a current evaluation of Least Concern. Give it a try. (3) The primaries of Forster’s, even when folded, still look very pale gray or whitish; those of Common tend to look darker gray, though not strikingly so. Forster's Tern Diving For Fish and Insects - Duration: 5:03. 3, 4, and 5, below. The head-to-tail tern sizes according to Sibley are: Caspian 21″, Royal 20″, Sandwich 15″, Gull-billed 14″, Forster’s 13″ Common … Forster’s Terns have a dark patch that is limited to the area immediately surrounding the eye, making them look like they just lost a boxing match, while Common Terns have a black patch that extends from the rear of the eye to the hind neck. For me, looking at the lower wing surface or body was frustrating because it was so dependent upon lighting, and with the sun being above, these areas alternated between sun and shade during flight, turning identification into a guessing game. Its long, light tail is deeply forked, and its undersides are all white. Caspian Tern 3. The main takeaway? SPRING ADULTS PERCHED: With a good look, perched birds can be easier (Fig. For far too many birders, this is a tough call. 4: Another presumed second-summer Forster’s Tern in flight, 2 June. In this, the sixth in our series of identification videos, we look at how to tell Common and Arctic Tern apart, focusing on the ID features on perched birds and how to separate them in flight. Common Terns are usually found out on the larger bodies of water like Lk St. Clair or the Great Lakes… Forster’s Terns are usually found inland  in marshy areas…  They can be difficult to ID in flight.. Royal Tern 6. 5: Same bird as Fig. Forster's Tern Images, Facts and Information: Sterna forsteri Forster's Terns are medium sized terns with white underparts and pale gray upperparts, short red legs, thin, orange bills with black tips and a black cap in breeding plumage. (These features may be visible even when perched.). 3: Presumed second-summer (two-year-old) Forster’s Tern, 8 August, with full black cap of adult plumage but dark primaries, suggesting a possible Common Tern. Then look at the leg length. Sorry about that. IV. (Courtesy Peter Prokosch, through GRIDArendal, at www.grida.no/resources/2838.). Adult Common Tern, breeding plumage. The species lives up to its name as a "common" tern mainly in the northeast; over much of the continent, it is outnumbered by the similar Forster's Tern. Cornell Lab of Ornithology 8,984 views. When they are side-by-side like this, things get easier; the bird on the left has a deep orange bill and black wingtips (= Common Tern), and the one on the right has a lighter orange bill and gray wingtips (= Forster’s Tern). Both species will have juvenile plumage that has additional touches of brown or ginger when they are extremely young in early summer, but the diagnostic black facial patches are present throughout their first year. Look at the terns in the photos below and decide purely on the wingtips and you should come to the correct conclusion. Caspian’s Terns Were Loafing. Far too often my decision changed depending on the lighting conditions; a bird would look like it had a gray body in flight, having me lean toward Common, and then it banked toward the sun and miraculously it was transformed into a white-bodied Forster’s. Today I will share some of my thoughts on distinguishing these two species in the hope that my experience might help some of you. How about when they are in flight? On the upper surface of the primaries, the Common Tern has a dark wedge that is lacking in the Forster's Tern. (1) The gray underparts of a Common (vs. white in Forster’s) may be easier to discern. The same thing happened when trying to decide how orange the bill was; a well-lit bill could look light orange (perfect for a textbook Forster’s), and then when the head turned and the bill became shaded, it was suddenly the deep orange bill of a Common Tern. Adult Common Tern, breeding plumage. The outer primaries are somewhat grayer than on Forster’s, typically bordered by a dark streak or wedge that cuts across the wing at about mid-primaries; this wedge, however, may be hard to see in spring. I guess I should mention that this is in Southern California. In the tern family there are two types of noddies; the Brown Noddy and the Black Noddy. Fortunately, these birds usually have the unique face pattern of immature and non-breeding adult Forster’s, with a white crown and nape and bold black cheek patch. Well, Forster’s Tern is supposed to have a light orange bill, whiter body and wings, a tail that extends beyond the folded wingtips, and longer legs, while Common Tern sports a deeper orange bill, gray body and darker wings, a tail extending the same length as the wingtips, and with black on its outermost tail feathers. Common Terns have upper wing surfaces that are almost uniformly gray, with a fairly large wedge of black that encompasses at least the five outermost primary wing tips. Royal vs. These two photos show the value of getting multiple shots of a confusing bird, at different angles. The common tern is medium gray above, with a black cap and nape, and paler below. The outer tail feathers of Common Tern are partially black whereas in Forster’s they are all white. During the mid-to-late summer, the presence of these juvenile birds greatly helps to identify the adults. Least Tern. Due to frequent misidentifications, eBird has now set the filter for Common Tern at zero in spring, statewide; this means that all eBird submissions will need photos and/or clear written details in order to be validated. Overall, the Caspian Tern … Adult Forster’s Tern, breeding plumage. Breeding Forster's usually have a white breast, unlike Common Tern's gray breast. ... A Common Tern fishing - Duration: 1:11. Although all of those points are indeed true, for me they were either difficult to distinguish in the field (Is that bill light orange or deep orange? © … SPRING ADULTS IN FLIGHT: Breeding-plumage Forster’s is distinctive, with a full black cap, pure white underparts, long tail streamers, orange- to red-based bill, and primaries that are silvery-white above with no dark markings. V. ADDED COMPLICATIONS: The most troublesome problem is that sub-adult Forster’s look different from adults and can be more like Common. With quick and … (Courtesy of Douglas Hommert), Fig. S. stonechat1 New member. The closely related Arctic Tern has a significantly older record holder: one banded in Maine in July 1936 was recaptured, alive, in Maine in June 1970, making it a minimum of 34 years old. The ginger color on its body and wings is on the edge of its feathers. The Common Tern is a streamlined bird with narrow, pointed wings. (2) The longer tail streamers of adult Forster’s usually project beyond the wingtips; those of Common do not. Those ginger tips will eventually wear off, leaving the silvery pattern that we saw above. The appearance of a dark bar at the shoulder, which might also suggest a Common Tern, is an illusion; it’s just the shadowing of the upper feathers on the lower ones. This can vary between individuals, but can be fun to follow. So instead of trying to determine if the wings are light gray or dark grey (are they kidding? One of four very similar terns on this continent. (Actually, although I say that I worked at it, that’s not completely true, since this minor quest became an utter pleasure and was the furthest thing from work.) Fig. This article was written on behalf of the Missouri eBird Team and the MBRC. At times this can also be surprisingly easy. To put further icing on the cake, when both species are present together, the comparisons are easier and allow us to introduce one more feature: leg length. Leg length is hard to judge when they are not closely juxtaposed like this, but can be another supporting feature to look for in mixed flocks. These medium-sized white terns are often confused with the similar Common Tern, but Forster’s Terns have a longer tail and, in nonbreeding plumage, a distinctive black eye patch. Elegant Tern-the most common 2. ), try to determine if the gray is uniform or two-toned. Now that you’ve read this far, I want to point out that despite having all of these identification points, distinguishing these two species still can be difficult. I found this kind of conformation and reinforcement to be extremely valuable. Unlike many larger terns, the Common Tern … Many hours were spent scouring images on Google, studying Sibley, etc. Sandwich, Royal, Forster’s, and Least Terns are probably the easiest to spot and are present year-round. Flashing slender, silvery wings and an elegantly forked tail, Forster's Terns cruise above the shallow waters of marshes and coastlines looking for fish. (2) The underwing pattern is pretty similar in both. When the birds are resting on a beach or mudflat, I now focus on two features: the color of the folded wingtips and the bill color. Luckily for Gulf Coast birders, Galveston Island is a fine place to observe several species of terns—but not all species are easy to find. But the oldest Forster's Tern … Unlike Common Tern, Forster's regularly winters along our southern coasts. This distinction should be kept in mind. Classic view of a Common Tern in flight. Of course, it helps that in these photos the birds are in nearly perfect lighting and in the textbook profile pose, but we have to start somewhere. Tail streamers are longer than wings in this bird, also indicating Forster’s, but that is not always the case with second-summers. That was frustrating to me because bird identification should be based on observation of specific features and shouldn’t feel like a coin toss. Is that body gray or does it just look gray because it is shaded from the sun? For FAR too long, I felt like I was just guessing when I saw a medium-sized tern, hoping that the habitat would push the odds in my favor (Forster’s Terns prefer marshes, while Common Terns prefer beaches). The Caspian Tern's wingspan of 4.5 feet is almost twice the Common Tern's 2.5 foot wingspan, but the Caspian Tern weighs about 5 times what a Common Tern weighs. The Forster's Tern is similar looking to the Common Tern, but found in slightly different habitat. A final identification point that can be helpful. Common Tern has a full black cap with light gray underparts that can be hard to discern in flight, especially at poor angles or in shadow. MyBackyardBirding 2,567 views. (3) Both adult Common/Arctic and young Forster's lack shoul- der patches and display a contrast between white rump and darker back; young Forster's are best distinguished by the … I. The black eyepatch indicates that its a Forster’s. Jennifer M. Arnold, Stephen A. Oswald, Ian C. T. Nisbet, Peter Pyle, and Michael A. Patten Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020 Which tern is it? The Common Tern has a black eye patch that continues across the nape. Ugh. II. This is shown only in specialty guides like Terns of Europe and North America, by Olsen and Larsson. They can be separated by their white underparts, the absence of a dark wedge bordering the gray primaries in flight, their longer legs if perched, and, with close looks or photographs, their tail pattern (see I). (3) Forget about any differences in silhouette or flight behavior; they are too subtle to be helpful. The Common Tern is most similar to the Roseate, Arctic, and Forster's Terns. The points mentioned above for adults are covered well by several of the standard more-thorough field guides, like Sibley, National Geographic, and Stokes, but none of these illustrate the second-summer Forster’s that can be so annoyingly similar to Common. May 4, 2012 #3 1-3 is a Caspian Tern. III. It breeds … Look at the two terns in the photo below and decide what you think they are. Start with the folded wingtips. Decide which species you think these are, note the leg length on these birds, and read on. Here’s a juvenile Forster’s Tern. The upper wings of Forster’s Terns, on the other hand, are two-toned or three-toned, with the distal half of the wing (furthest from the body) being distinctly whiter than the half that is closest to the body, which is gray. 2. First of all, both of these terns are LARGE compared to the medium-sized Forster’s and Common Terns, and enormous compared to the tiny Black or Least Terns. Forster’s Terns look similar to Common Tern’s but are somewhat larger, have white (not grey) underparts near the front, and often have white primaries, not grey ones. These terns take at least two years to mature, resulting in fully mature birds mixing with first-year birds, they have complex molt patterns, and the brightness of the plumage can change during the year depending on feather wear. (Courtesy of Karen Davis). So what do the field guides tell us to look for on these terns? In breeding season, it’s black tipped, like the common tern’s, but … (Courtesy of David Mundy). Does one of the birds have longer legs than the other? Please think good … If you find yourself by a large tern flock, watch for begging youngsters, which should be readily identifiable based on the black eye or neck patches, and see if you can identify the parents when they arrive to feed the young. Forster’s Terns have a medium gray back which contrasts with … Then watch the parents when they leave to see if you could identify them in flight. (Courtesy of Karen Davis), Fig. The wings appear very light, silvery gray in flight. However, Forster's is more of a marsh bird at most seasons, especially in summer, when it often nests on top of muskrat houses. The Forster’s tern’s bill is proportionately long and large, though still within a range that would be termed medium, and black most of the year. adult Forster's Tern. (If you see a tern that has really super-short legs, you may have the first state record of Arctic!). … But which is it? The distal half of the wings beyond the ‘elbow’ are typically whiter than the proximal half, but its not so obvious in this slightly overexposed view. They have long, forked tails. Secondarily, note the rather stout-based bill, orange at the base, with the outer 40% or so black. EXPECTED DATES: Common Tern does not usually appear in Missouri until May, although there are a few late April records. Photo kindly provided by Karmela Moneta. This is usually difficult to see but is fun to look for. Landing Royal Tern… Good luck using these identification points. Note the different pattern in the face compared with the immature Forster’s Tern. During the breeding season, the Forster's Tern … Look to field guide to ID less common species including Common Tern (resembles Forster’s Tern), Black Tern (mostly seen during fall migration, distinctive behavior and plumage) and Gull-billed Tern (stout … Conveniently, in juveniles and in non-breeding plumage, Common Terns also contain a black ‘carpal bar’ on their wings that Forster’s Terns lack. With practice, you will find that you often can distinguish these two species at a surprising distance by focusing on the upper wing surface. The red really popped when I looked … There are a few other identification points that can be helpful, but their use is more limited than the ones discussed above. OK, to start us off, let’s admit that distinguishing Common and Forster’s Terns is one of the more challenging bird pair identifications. Look at terns very carefully, use multiple features in making your identification, take the best notes you can, with photos if possible, and use “Common/Forster’s” in eBird whenever you are uncertain. So that’s what I focus on with resting birds. There is also a smaller patch of black on the outermost upper wing tips. Here is an outline that we hope will help. With their long pointed wings and long tail feathers, terns fly over water as swallows fly over land. They have white underparts, while second-summer Common is more like the adult and is getting gray. Many birders will be able to recognize this bird as one of the medium-sized terns, which here in the eastern US narrows down to Forster’s or Common Tern. Forster's Tern … Forster’s Tern in flight. Later in the season this patch becomes much more visible as the overlying feather tips wear away. Forster's … 5. These birds, we suspect, are the source of many Common Tern records. One of the interesting things about Common and Forster’s Terns is that (unlike many other species) they are actually easier to identify when they are juveniles or are in non-breeding plumage. They dwarf the Common … OK, you’re out birding and you see the excellent individual shown above. The dark ‘carpal patch’ is somewhat visible underneath some feathers. Note the relative lack of any black at the tip of the upper wings. Can you identify it with confidence? Forster’s Tern in fall. If we start with the bill color, I would have a hard time deciding if this is a Forster’s or Common Tern, perhaps leaning slightly and uncomfortably towards the darker bill of a Common Tern. Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) is not common in Missouri. The upperwings are more often well-lit, thereby allowing for more reliable views. The lighter orange bill compared to the previous photo of the Common Tern confirms the conclusion. Well, this year I decided to do something about it and worked at trying develop confidence in identifying these species correctly. Fig. The Bonaparte's gull is an abundant spring and fall transient along the coast, primarily over the ocean just offshore and is fairly common … Tern identification: Common and Forster’s Terns, Yellow-rumped Warblers and yellow-rumped warblers. Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) is not common in Missouri. Common Terns have reddish-orange bills while Forster’s Terns have a straight-up orange color. (3) Note also that there is such a thing as a first-summer Common Tern, but this will resemble a fall bird, with a wrap-around dark “shawl” on the head, a dark shoulder bar, and a dark secondary bar. Part of the reason is purely the additional experience, and partly its because now I’ve found identification points that work for me. Where Common … We're back in Southern Arizona enduring the heat and wildfires. 1. If not, then read on. (4) The legs of Forster’s are notably longer than those of Common, a difference easily seen if the birds are close together and similarly posed. Common Tern in fall. Drat. The range of this bird species is almost 2 million square kilometers. It is easy to misidentify, especially in spring and because of plumage variability in the similar Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri), which is much more widespread and regular here. See Figs. (2) BUT we also get second-summer (two-year-old) Forster’s that may still have the dark gray primaries along with a partial or full black cap and orange/red-based bill. Gull-billed Tern 5. 1 and 2). Closeup photo shows white outer webs and dark inner webs of outer tail feathers (streamers); thus it is Forster’s without doubt.

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