Fauna Flora Photography

Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia

Large bird and elegant flyer. Rare visitor around Montreal which can be easily mistaken for a Common Tern if someone is not familiar with the size difference of these two species.

Specs

Length44-51cm
Weight500-600g
Wingspan125-135cm

Common Names

GermanRaubseeschwalbe
EnglishCaspian Tern
FrenchSterne caspienne
SpanishPagaza piquirroja

Taxonomy

OrderCharadriiformes
FamilyLaridae
SpeciesHydroprogne caspia

How to Identify

Different to the Common Tern, the beak of the Caspian Tern hasn't a black tip and is uniformly colored red. This bird is larger in size and flight is less erratic and slower while sailing over the water searching for prey.

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) - Parc des Rapides - 2018-08-11

Where and When to Spot

I was able to spot this species only once in Rapids Park Lachine.


Last updated on 2023-12-15. Written and regularly updated by Karl-Heinz Müller, Dipl. Natw. ETH, Biology. With 10 years of experience in wildlife photography, Karl-Heinz shares first-hand, on-site collected observations, photos and videos from his frequent visits to parks in the Montreal area.