Skimmers, Noddies, Terns, and Gulls
White-fronted Tern
Sterna striata
- Family
- Skimmers, Noddies, Terns, and Gulls (Laridae)
- Order
- Charadriiformes
Overview
The white-fronted tern (Sterna striata), also known as tara, sea swallow, black-billed tern, kahawai bird, southern tern, or swallow tail, was first described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1789. A medium-sized tern with an all-white body including underwing and forked tail, with pale grey hues on the mantle and upper side of the wing. In breeding adults a striking black cap covers the head from forehead to nape, leaving a small white strip above the black bill.
This is the most abundant tern in New Zealand.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Breeds coastal New Zealand, including Chatham and Auckland islands, also Furneaux group in Bass Strait; winters to southeastern Australia including Tasmania.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Continents
Countries
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: White-fronted tern
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
