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The Common Tern, Sterna hirundo, is a slender seabird with a circumpolar distribution, breeding in temperate and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. It is a migratory species, wintering in coastal tropical and subtropical regions. Adults display light grey upperparts, white to very light grey underparts, and a black cap. Their legs are orange-red, and they possess a narrow pointed bill, which varies in color between subspecies.
To identify the Common Tern, look for its pale grey upper wings, which develop a dark feather shaft as the season progresses, creating a grey wedge. The rump and tail are white, and the tail extends no further than the folded wingtips when the bird is standing. The bill is mostly red with a black tip or entirely black, depending on the subspecies. In non-breeding adults, the forehead and underparts become white, and the bill turns black.
