River tern vs Roseate tern
The river tern is heavier: 209 g against 112 g for the roseate tern, about 87% more.
Photo: Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
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Photo: MPF · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
What is the difference between a river tern and a roseate tern?
Each point below is worked out from a pair of recorded values.
- The river tern is heavier: 209 g against 112 g for the roseate tern, about 87% more.
- Both belong to the genus Sterna, so they are close relatives.
- The river tern is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List; the roseate tern is Least Concern.
Side by side
| River tern | Roseate tern | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Sterna aurantia | Sterna dougallii |
| Family | Laridae | Laridae |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Charadriiformes |
| Weight | 209 g | 112 g – 117 g |
| Length | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded | 23.8 years |
| Main food | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Habitat | riverine | marine |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Countries recorded | Not recorded | 1 |
A scale drawing needs a recorded length for both animals; only weights are on record for this pair.
Full record: River ternFull record: Roseate ternCompare other animals