Antarctic tern vs Common tern
The Antarctic tern is heavier: 139 g against 129.2 g for the common tern, about 8% more.
Photo: Butterfly voyages - Serge Ouachée · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Alexis Lours · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
What is the difference between a Antarctic tern and a common tern?
Each point below is worked out from a pair of recorded values.
- The Antarctic tern is heavier: 139 g against 129.2 g for the common tern, about 8% more.
- Both belong to the genus Sterna, so they are close relatives.
- Both are listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Side by side
| Antarctic tern | Common tern | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Sterna vittata | Sterna hirundo |
| Family | Laridae | Laridae |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Charadriiformes |
| Weight | 139 g – 140 g | 124 g – 129.2 g |
| Length | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded | 33 years |
| Main food | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Habitat | marine | marine |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Countries recorded | 1 | Not recorded |
A scale drawing needs a recorded length for both animals; only weights are on record for this pair.
Full record: Antarctic ternFull record: Common ternCompare other animals