Genus

Typical Terns

Sterna

12 species in our catalog · found in 133 parks

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
GenusSterna (Typical Terns)

Species in this group

Each card shows the species at its best park — tap for the full profile

Sterna paradisaea

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Sterna striata

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Sterna aurantia

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Sterna hirundinacea

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Sterna hirundo

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Sterna sumatrana

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Sterna forsteri

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Sterna dougallii

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Sterna acuticauda

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Sterna vittata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Sterna trudeaui

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Sterna repressa

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

See all 12 species Show fewer

Daily sighting probability by month

Probability-weighted average across the group's species

~20%

Jan

~30%

Feb

~20%

Mar

~20%

Apr

~20%

May

~20%

Jun

~20%

Jul

~20%

Aug

~20%

Sep

~20%

Oct

~20%

Nov

~20%

Dec

When they're spotted

When the group's species are recorded (aggregated)

Where to see Typical Terns

Worldwide records of this group (human observations from 2019 onwards, GBIF). Pins mark our parks — tap one for the chance of seeing at least one species of the group there.

Parks Ranked

Chance of seeing at least one species of the group · number of its species present

#	Park	Country	Species	Daily sighting probability
1	Thingvellir National Park	🇮🇸 Iceland	1	~60%
	Arctic Tern			~60%
2	Rakiura National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	2	~60%
	White-fronted Tern			~60%
	Antarctic Tern			Insufficient data
3	Vatnajokull National Park	🇮🇸 Iceland	1	~60%
	Arctic Tern			~60%
4	Bandipur National Park	🇮🇳 India	1	~50%
	River Tern			~50%
5	Península Valdés	🇦🇷 Argentina	3	~40%
	South American Tern			~40%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
	Snowy-crowned Tern			Insufficient data
6	Ranthambore National Park	🇮🇳 India	2	~40%
	River Tern			~40%
	Black-bellied Tern			<5%
7	Komodo National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	3	~40%
	Black-naped Tern			~30%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Roseate Tern			Insufficient data
8	Satpura National Park	🇮🇳 India	2	~40%
	River Tern			~30%
	Black-bellied Tern			~10%
9	Fertő-Hanság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	2	~40%
	Common Tern			~30%
	Arctic Tern			Insufficient data
10	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	3	~30%
	Common Tern			~20%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
	Arctic Tern			Insufficient data
11	Gros Morne National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	2	~30%
	Common Tern			~30%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
12	Kaziranga National Park	🇮🇳 India	1	~30%
	River Tern			~30%
13	Tierra del Fuego National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	1	~30%
	South American Tern			~30%
14	Keoladeo National Park	🇮🇳 India	1	~30%
	River Tern			~30%
15	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	2	~30%
	Common Tern			~20%
	Arctic Tern			Insufficient data
16	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2	~30%
	Forster's Tern			~20%
	Common Tern			<5%
17	Channel Islands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	3	~20%
	Forster's Tern			~20%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
18	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2	~20%
	Forster's Tern			~20%
	Common Tern			<5%
19	Raja Ampat	🇮🇩 Indonesia	3	~20%
	Common Tern			~20%
	Black-naped Tern			~10%
	Roseate Tern			Insufficient data
20	Katmai National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~20%
	Arctic Tern			~20%
21	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	2	~20%
	Common Tern			~20%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
22	Hortobágy National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	1	~20%
	Common Tern			~20%
23	Nahanni National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	1	~20%
	Arctic Tern			~20%
24	Jim Corbett National Park	🇮🇳 India	1	~20%
	River Tern			~20%
25	Nagarhole National Park	🇮🇳 India	1	~20%
	River Tern			~20%
26	Elk Island National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	2	~20%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
27	Białowieża National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	1	~20%
	Common Tern			~20%
28	Fiordland National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1	~20%
	White-fronted Tern			~20%
29	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	3	~20%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Roseate Tern			Insufficient data
	Arctic Tern			<5%
30	Gates of the Arctic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~10%
	Arctic Tern			~10%
31	Periyar National Park	🇮🇳 India	1	~10%
	River Tern			~10%
32	Riding Mountain National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	2	~10%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
33	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	4	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Arctic Tern			Insufficient data
	Roseate Tern			Insufficient data
	Antarctic Tern			Insufficient data
34	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2	~10%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
35	Kiskunság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	1	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
36	Main Ridge Forest Reserve	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	2	~10%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
	Roseate Tern			Insufficient data
37	Gir National Park	🇮🇳 India	1	~10%
	River Tern			~10%
38	Jaragua National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	2	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Roseate Tern			Insufficient data
39	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	3	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Antarctic Tern			<5%
	Arctic Tern			Insufficient data
40	Abel Tasman National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1	~10%
	White-fronted Tern			~10%
41	Kenai Fjords National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~10%
	Arctic Tern			~10%
42	Biebrza National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	1	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
43	Wrangell-St. Elias National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	~10%
	Arctic Tern			~10%
44	Bali Barat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	2	~10%
	Black-naped Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
45	Isla del Coco National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Arctic Tern			Insufficient data
46	Kluane National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	1	~10%
	Arctic Tern			~10%
47	Camargue	🇫🇷 France	1	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
48	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	1	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
49	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	2	~10%
	Forster's Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
50	Ningaloo Marine Park	🇦🇺 Australia	2	~10%
	Roseate Tern			~10%
	Common Tern			<5%
51	Doñana National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	2	~10%
	Roseate Tern			Insufficient data
	Common Tern			<5%
52	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	3	~10%
	Forster's Tern			Insufficient data
	Roseate Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
53	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	2	~10%
	Common Tern			~10%
	Roseate Tern			Insufficient data
54	Paracas National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	2	~10%
	South American Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
55	Bako National Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	1	~10%
	Black-naped Tern			Insufficient data
56	Torres del Paine National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	1	~10%
	South American Tern			~10%
57	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	3	<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Roseate Tern			Insufficient data
58	Yala National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
59	Bavarian Forest National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
60	Kaeng Krachan National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	1	<5%
	Roseate Tern			Insufficient data
61	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Arctic Tern			Insufficient data
62	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	3	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Roseate Tern			<5%
	White-cheeked Tern			Insufficient data
63	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2	<5%
	Arctic Tern			Insufficient data
	Forster's Tern			<5%
64	Sundarbans National Park	🇮🇳 India	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
65	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	2	<5%
	South American Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
66	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	1	<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
67	Cape Range	🇦🇺 Australia	2	<5%
	Roseate Tern			Insufficient data
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
68	Tangkoko Nature Reserve	🇮🇩 Indonesia	2	<5%
	Black-naped Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
69	Gauja National Park	🇱🇻 Latvia	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
70	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	2	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
	Forster's Tern			Insufficient data
71	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	2	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
72	Utría National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	1	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
73	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
74	Snowdonia National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	2	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
75	Bandhavgarh National Park	🇮🇳 India	2	<5%
	River Tern			<5%
	Black-bellied Tern			Insufficient data
76	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	2	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Roseate Tern			Insufficient data
77	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
78	Great Bear Rainforest	🇨🇦 Canada	2	<5%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
79	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	2	<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
80	Tatra National Park	🇸🇰 Slovakia	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
81	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
82	Taroko National Park	🇹🇼 Taiwan	2	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Black-naped Tern			Insufficient data
83	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
84	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
85	Cairngorms National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	2	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Arctic Tern			Insufficient data
86	Voyageurs National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
	Forster's Tern			Insufficient data
87	Daintree National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	3	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Black-naped Tern			Insufficient data
	Roseate Tern			Insufficient data
88	Noosa National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
89	Pyrénées National Park	🇫🇷 France	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
90	Arthur's Pass National Park	🇳🇿 New Zealand	1	<5%
	White-fronted Tern			Insufficient data
91	Mudumalai National Park	🇮🇳 India	1	<5%
	River Tern			Insufficient data
92	Freycinet National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1	<5%
	White-fronted Tern			Insufficient data
93	Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park	🇲🇳 Mongolia	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
94	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
95	Galápagos Islands	🇪🇨 Ecuador	2	<5%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
96	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
97	Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks	🇺🇸 United States	2	<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
98	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
99	Grand Teton National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2	<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
100	Redwood National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2	<5%
	Forster's Tern			Insufficient data
	Arctic Tern			Insufficient data
101	Death Valley National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2	<5%
	Forster's Tern			Insufficient data
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
102	Olympic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
103	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
104	Tijuca National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	1	<5%
	South American Tern			Insufficient data
105	Pacific Rim National Park Reserve	🇨🇦 Canada	2	<5%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
106	Monfragüe National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
107	Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary	🇲🇾 Malaysia	2	<5%
	Black-naped Tern			Insufficient data
	Roseate Tern			Insufficient data
108	Denali National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	<5%
	Arctic Tern			<5%
109	Wilpattu National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	1	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
110	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	1	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
111	Wilsons Promontory National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
112	Royal National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	2	<5%
	White-fronted Tern			<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
113	Los Haitises National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	1	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
114	Sierra de Guadarrama National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
115	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
116	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
117	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
118	Manas National Park	🇮🇳 India	1	<5%
	River Tern			Insufficient data
119	Kanha National Park	🇮🇳 India	2	<5%
	River Tern			<5%
	Black-bellied Tern			Insufficient data
120	Yellowstone National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
121	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	1	<5%
	Snowy-crowned Tern			Insufficient data
122	Ranomafana National Park	🇲🇬 Madagascar	1	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
123	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	<5%
	Forster's Tern			<5%
124	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	1	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
125	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	1	<5%
	Common Tern			<5%
126	Chitwan National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	1	<5%
	Black-bellied Tern			Insufficient data
127	Glacier National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	<5%
	Forster's Tern			Insufficient data
128	Banff National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	1	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
129	Jasper National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	1	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
130	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
131	Great Otway National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1	<5%
	White-fronted Tern			Insufficient data
132	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2	<5%
	Common Tern			Insufficient data
	Forster's Tern			Insufficient data
133	Rocky Mountain National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	<5%
	Forster's Tern			Insufficient data