Genus

Crested Terns

Thalasseus

7 species in our catalog · found in 98 parks

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

Species in this group

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

Thalasseus maximus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Thalasseus bergii

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Thalasseus sandvicensis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Thalasseus elegans

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Thalasseus bengalensis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Thalasseus acuflavidus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Thalasseus albididorsalis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Daily sighting probability by month

Probability-weighted average across the group's species

~30%

Jan

~30%

Feb

~30%

Mar

~30%

Apr

~20%

May

~20%

Jun

~20%

Jul

~20%

Aug

~20%

Sep

~30%

Oct

~30%

Nov

~30%

Dec

When they're spotted

When the group's species are recorded (aggregated)

Where to see Crested 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	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	3	~90%
	Royal Tern			~70%
	Sandwich Tern			~50%
	Cabot's Tern			Insufficient data
2	Paracas National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	4	~80%
	Elegant Tern			~50%
	Royal Tern			~40%
	Sandwich Tern			~20%
	Cabot's Tern			Insufficient data
3	Jaragua National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	2	~60%
	Royal Tern			~60%
	Sandwich Tern			~10%
4	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2	~60%
	Sandwich Tern			~40%
	Royal Tern			~40%
5	Komodo National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	2	~60%
	Crested Tern			~60%
	Lesser Crested Tern			~10%
6	Península Valdés	🇦🇷 Argentina	3	~50%
	Royal Tern			~40%
	Sandwich Tern			~20%
	Cabot's Tern			Insufficient data
7	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	4	~50%
	Crested Tern			~40%
	Sandwich Tern			~20%
	West African Crested Tern			Insufficient data
	Elegant Tern			Insufficient data
8	Cape Range	🇦🇺 Australia	2	~50%
	Crested Tern			~40%
	Lesser Crested Tern			~20%
9	Ningaloo Marine Park	🇦🇺 Australia	2	~50%
	Crested Tern			~40%
	Lesser Crested Tern			~20%
10	Noosa National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	2	~40%
	Crested Tern			~40%
	Lesser Crested Tern			Insufficient data
11	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	~40%
	Royal Tern			~30%
	Sandwich Tern			~10%
	Elegant Tern			~10%
12	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	~40%
	Royal Tern			~30%
	Elegant Tern			~10%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
13	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	~40%
	Royal Tern			~40%
	Elegant Tern			<5%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
14	Los Haitises National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	2	~40%
	Royal Tern			~30%
	Sandwich Tern			~10%
15	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	2	~40%
	Royal Tern			~30%
	Elegant Tern			~10%
16	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	3	~30%
	Royal Tern			~30%
	Cabot's Tern			Insufficient data
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
17	Freycinet National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1	~30%
	Crested Tern			~30%
18	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	3	~30%
	Crested Tern			~20%
	Sandwich Tern			~10%
	Lesser Crested Tern			~10%
19	Channel Islands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2	~30%
	Elegant Tern			~20%
	Royal Tern			~10%
20	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	3	~30%
	Royal Tern			~20%
	Sandwich Tern			~10%
	Cabot's Tern			Insufficient data
21	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2	~30%
	Royal Tern			~30%
	Elegant Tern			<5%
22	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	3	~30%
	Crested Tern			~20%
	Sandwich Tern			~10%
	Elegant Tern			Insufficient data
23	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	2	~30%
	Royal Tern			~30%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
24	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	3	~30%
	Royal Tern			~20%
	Sandwich Tern			~10%
	Cabot's Tern			Insufficient data
25	Raja Ampat	🇮🇩 Indonesia	2	~30%
	Crested Tern			~30%
	Lesser Crested Tern			<5%
26	Maria Island National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1	~30%
	Crested Tern			~30%
27	Wilsons Promontory National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1	~30%
	Crested Tern			~30%
28	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2	~20%
	Royal Tern			~20%
	Sandwich Tern			Insufficient data
29	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	2	~20%
	Royal Tern			~20%
	Sandwich Tern			~10%
30	Utría National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	3	~20%
	Royal Tern			~20%
	Sandwich Tern			Insufficient data
	Elegant Tern			Insufficient data
31	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	3	~20%
	Royal Tern			~20%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
	Elegant Tern			Insufficient data
32	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	2	~20%
	Crested Tern			~20%
	Sandwich Tern			~10%
33	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	3	~20%
	Royal Tern			~10%
	Sandwich Tern			~10%
	Cabot's Tern			Insufficient data
34	Booderee National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1	~20%
	Crested Tern			~20%
35	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	2	~20%
	Royal Tern			~10%
	Sandwich Tern			~10%
36	Bali Barat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	2	~20%
	Crested Tern			~10%
	Lesser Crested Tern			<5%
37	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	~20%
	Royal Tern			~10%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
	Elegant Tern			Insufficient data
38	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	3	~20%
	Royal Tern			~10%
	Cabot's Tern			<5%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
39	Daintree National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	2	~20%
	Crested Tern			~10%
	Lesser Crested Tern			<5%
40	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	3	~10%
	Royal Tern			~10%
	Elegant Tern			~10%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
41	Great Otway National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1	~10%
	Crested Tern			~10%
42	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	~10%
	Royal Tern			~10%
	Elegant Tern			<5%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
43	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	~10%
	Royal Tern			~10%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
	Elegant Tern			<5%
44	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	1	~10%
	Sandwich Tern			~10%
45	Flinders Chase	🇦🇺 Australia	1	~10%
	Crested Tern			~10%
46	Main Ridge Forest Reserve	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	2	~10%
	Sandwich Tern			Insufficient data
	Royal Tern			<5%
47	Bako National Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	2	~10%
	Crested Tern			~10%
	Lesser Crested Tern			Insufficient data
48	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	~10%
	Royal Tern			~10%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
	Elegant Tern			<5%
49	Yala National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	3	~10%
	Crested Tern			<5%
	Lesser Crested Tern			<5%
	Sandwich Tern			Insufficient data
50	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2	~10%
	Royal Tern			~10%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
51	Royal National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1	~10%
	Crested Tern			~10%
52	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	~10%
	Royal Tern			<5%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
	Elegant Tern			<5%
53	Snowdonia National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	1	~10%
	Sandwich Tern			~10%
54	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	2	~10%
	Royal Tern			~10%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
55	Biebrza National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	1	~10%
	Sandwich Tern			Insufficient data
56	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	2	~10%
	Lesser Crested Tern			~10%
	Crested Tern			<5%
57	Camargue	🇫🇷 France	1	~10%
	Sandwich Tern			~10%
58	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	~10%
	Royal Tern			Insufficient data
59	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	4	~10%
	Cabot's Tern			Insufficient data
	Royal Tern			<5%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
	Elegant Tern			Insufficient data
60	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	<5%
	Royal Tern			<5%
	Elegant Tern			Insufficient data
	Sandwich Tern			Insufficient data
61	Doñana National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	2	<5%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
	Lesser Crested Tern			Insufficient data
62	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	1	<5%
	Royal Tern			Insufficient data
63	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	1	<5%
	Royal Tern			Insufficient data
64	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	3	<5%
	Royal Tern			<5%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
	Elegant Tern			Insufficient data
65	Cabo Pulmo National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	2	<5%
	Royal Tern			Insufficient data
	Elegant Tern			Insufficient data
66	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	2	<5%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
	Crested Tern			<5%
67	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	2	<5%
	Royal Tern			Insufficient data
	Sandwich Tern			Insufficient data
68	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	<5%
	Elegant Tern			Insufficient data
69	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	2	<5%
	Royal Tern			<5%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
70	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	2	<5%
	Royal Tern			<5%
	Sandwich Tern			Insufficient data
71	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	3	<5%
	Royal Tern			<5%
	Elegant Tern			Insufficient data
	Sandwich Tern			Insufficient data
72	Galápagos Islands	🇪🇨 Ecuador	2	<5%
	Royal Tern			<5%
	Elegant Tern			<5%
73	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	1	<5%
	Royal Tern			<5%
74	Taroko National Park	🇹🇼 Taiwan	1	<5%
	Crested Tern			<5%
75	Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park	🇯🇲 Jamaica	1	<5%
	Royal Tern			Insufficient data
76	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	1	<5%
	Lesser Crested Tern			<5%
77	Wilpattu National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	1	<5%
	Lesser Crested Tern			Insufficient data
78	Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1	<5%
	Crested Tern			Insufficient data
79	Fertő-Hanság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	1	<5%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
80	Kerinci Seblat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	2	<5%
	Crested Tern			Insufficient data
	Lesser Crested Tern			Insufficient data
81	Redwood National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2	<5%
	Elegant Tern			<5%
	Royal Tern			Insufficient data
82	Ankarafantsika National Park	🇲🇬 Madagascar	1	<5%
	Lesser Crested Tern			Insufficient data
83	Springbrook National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	1	<5%
	Crested Tern			Insufficient data
84	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	1	<5%
	Royal Tern			Insufficient data
85	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	1	<5%
	Royal Tern			Insufficient data
86	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	1	<5%
	Royal Tern			Insufficient data
87	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	2	<5%
	Sandwich Tern			Insufficient data
	Royal Tern			Insufficient data
88	Białowieża National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	1	<5%
	Sandwich Tern			Insufficient data
89	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	1	<5%
	Royal Tern			Insufficient data
90	Ranomafana National Park	🇲🇬 Madagascar	1	<5%
	Lesser Crested Tern			Insufficient data
91	Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary	🇲🇾 Malaysia	1	<5%
	Crested Tern			Insufficient data
92	Pyrénées National Park	🇫🇷 France	1	<5%
	Sandwich Tern			<5%
93	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	1	<5%
	Royal Tern			Insufficient data
94	Sepilok	🇲🇾 Malaysia	1	<5%
	Crested Tern			Insufficient data
95	Cairngorms National Park	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	1	<5%
	Sandwich Tern			Insufficient data
96	Kinabalu Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	1	<5%
	Crested Tern			Insufficient data
97	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1	<5%
	Royal Tern			Insufficient data
98	Olympic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	1	<5%
	Elegant Tern			Insufficient data

Crested Terns

Species in this group

Royal Tern

Crested Tern

Sandwich Tern

Elegant Tern

Lesser Crested Tern

Cabot's Tern

West African Crested Tern

Daily sighting probability by month

When they're spotted

Where to see Crested Terns

Parks Ranked