River tern vs White-fronted tern
The river tern is heavier: 209 g against 129 g for the white-fronted tern, about 62% more.

Photo: Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Lynda from New Zealand · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
What is the difference between a river tern and a white-fronted tern?
Each point below is worked out from a pair of recorded values.
- The river tern is heavier: 209 g against 129 g for the white-fronted tern, about 62% 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 white-fronted tern is Near Threatened.
Side by side
| River tern | White-fronted tern | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Sterna aurantia | Sterna striata |
| Family | Laridae | Laridae |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Charadriiformes |
| Weight | 209 g | 125.8 g – 131.9 g |
| Length | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Habitat | riverine | coastal |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable | Near Threatened |
| 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: White-fronted ternCompare other animals