10

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) Aboriginal name(s): "karrynekarryne" (WA) Size: 48-60 cm; wing span: 1.25-1.45 m Body mass: 530-780 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: ca. 1.0

Australia: Family Group 10 Family Group 10 Table Brown Skua South Polar Skua Arctic Jaeger Pomarine Jaeger Long-tailed Jaeger Pacific Gull Kelp Gull Silver Gull Crested Tern Lesser Crested Tern Caspian Tern Australian Tern Gull-billed Tern White-fronted Tern Black-naped Tern Roseate Tern Antarctic Tern Arctic Tern Common Tern Little Tern Fairy Tern Whiskered Tern White-winged Black Tern Grey Ternlet White Tern Sooty Tern Bridled Tern Aleutian Tern Common Noddy Black Noddy Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Caspian Terns are the largest of all terns. During the breeding season they have a black cap, white front (throat, neck, chest, belly and vent) and grey wings. The black eyes are surrounded by the black cap, while the frons (base of the bill) is white. The pointy, long bill is red with a black tip, the short legs and feet are black. In eclipse the cap becomes mottled black-and-white and only a stripe behind the eyes remains solid dark-grey to black. Juvenile Caspian Terns are mottled grey, with a mottled cap. Twitcher's tip Compared to Greater Crested Terns, the Caspian Tern is much bigger and has a red bill with black tip (rather than greenish-yellow).

Taxonomy, classification See Caspian Tern at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Caspian Tern is available HERE . Caspian Terns are a partly migratory species with a wide-ranging distribution. Populations breeding around large inland lakes and the coastlines of northern-hemisphere continents (North America, Europe, Asia) are migratory. The northern American birds migrate southwards in winter, to the southern coasts of North America, the West Indies and northern South American coastlines. The European and Asian populations spend the winter along the tropical and subtropical coastlines of Africa, southern Asia and Arabia. The populations breeding in Africa and Australasia are resident or locally dispersive, but do not migrate. Caspian Terns are common all around the Australian seaboard, including Bass Strait and Tasmania, but not along the coastline of the Nullarbor in the Great Bight. They are also found in the Murray-Darling Basin and the north-eastern corner of SA (Innamincka and surrounds). Caspian Terns are likely to follow rivers inland. After substantial inland rainfall they can disperse across basically the entire Australian continent, including the most arid parts. The only area of the Australian continent where Caspian Terns are not found is around Lake Eyre, from around Broken Hill, NSW, south-eastward to almost Port Augusta, SA. Caspian Terns have a preference for coastal waters, but also in tidal flats and - inland - the shallows of freshwater lakes, including ephemeral lakes and in ephemeral wetlands. Where to look? How to find this species? Since Caspian Terns are taller than Australian gulls, probably the easiest way to find one is to check communal roosts of seabirds and look for big white birds with a striking red bill. Otherwise it might also help to check the sky for gulls that are so powerful that even White-faced Herons and White-necked Herons will duck when one comes flying over.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Two Caspian Terns were seen by us in a saltmarsh near the mouth of the Manning River, close to Old Bar, NSW, in June 2011. A. Morris's expert advice in identifiying this species is most gratefully acknowledged. A solitary Caspian Tern in breeding plumage was found by us at Goran Lake, an ephemeral lake about 30 km South of Gunnedah, NSW, in December 2011. A few Caspian Terns were spotted again in February and March 2012. In May 2012 about 20 birds were spotted. Caspian Terns returned to Goran Lakearound November/December 2021, when the lake filled up again. H. Mouritsen reports spotting a Caspian Tern at Narrabri Lake, NSW, in October 2015. Caspian Terns in non-breeding plumage were observed by J. Greaves in various locations along the south-western coastline of WA in the autumn of 2015. H. Mouritsen spotted Caspian Terns in two different locations near Darwin, NT, in October 2015. J. Greaves reports spotting Caspian Terns in non-breeding plumage at the Kununurra, WA, sewage treatment works in January 2016. Caspian Terns in non-breeding plumage were next seen at both Gordonbrook Dam and Barambah Dam, QLD, in June 2017. M. Eaton reports spotting a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage semi-regularly in various locations along the coastline of southern QLD. In October 2017 a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage was observed passing over Eulah Creek, NSW. R. Plumtreereports finding Caspian Terns at the Lake Bonney Riverland, Barmera, SA, in September 2018. Various contributors report spotting Caspian Terns occasionally along the coastline of the NT around Darwin. C. Pears reports finding Caspian Terns regularly at Quindalup Beach, WA. They were also found at Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, in October 2022, and at Floreat Beach, Perth, WA, in May 2025. Caspian Terns were also found by us in Europe.

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

BREEDING

Frontal view of a Caspian Tern in breeding plumage (3rd from right), two more Caspian Terns in non-breeding plumage on the left and three non-breeding/transitional Greater Crested Terns for comparison (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]

Near-frontal view of a Caspian Tern in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cooroy, QLD, December 2017]

Lateral view of a Caspian Tern in breeding plumage, centre, with another starting to moult into eclipse plumage behind and a Gull-billed Tern in non-breeding plumage in front (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Toorbul Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, September 2017]

Close-up near-lateral view of a Caspian Tern in near-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Toorbul Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, September 2017]

Near-lateral view of Caspian Terns resting together with a flock of Silver Gulls; the bird at the centre back is in breeding plumage, the three on the right and the one on the left are in non-breeding plumage; note that Caspian Terns are taller than Silver Gulls
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]

Lateral view of Caspian Terns; one in breeding plumage, back, one in eclipse plumage, centre, and another in transitional plumage in front (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Toorbul Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, September 2017]

Frontal view of a Caspian Tern in breeding plumage in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, November 2015]

Lateral view of a Caspian Tern in breeding plumage in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, September 2025]

Close-up lateral/ventral view of a Caspian Tern in breeding plumage in flight; the bird had just flown a tight bend, using its fanned tail for extra lift
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]

Lateral view of a Caspian Tern in breeding plumage in flight, wings down
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, April 2012]

Lateral view of a Caspian Tern in breeding plumage in flight, wings up
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, April 2012]

Close-up dorsal view of a Caspian Tern in breeding plumage in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, January 2022]

NON-BREEDING

Near-frontal view of a Caspian Tern in transitional plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]

Near-lateral view of a Caspian Tern in transitional plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]

Near-lateral view of a Caspian Tern in transitional plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]

Near-frontal and lateral view of Caspian Terns in transitional plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a Caspian Tern in transitional plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]

Lateral view of a Caspian Tern in transitional plumage in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, April 2012]

Near-dorsal view of a Caspian Tern in transitional plumage in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, April 2012]

Close-up frontal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Floreat Beach, Perth, WA, May 2025]

Frontal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage; Greater Crested Tern on the left for comparison
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]

Frontal view of two Caspian Terns in non-breeding plumage; Greater Crested Tern on the right for comparison
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]

Near-frontal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]

Near-frontal view of Caspian Terns in different plumages: breeding (far right), non-breeding (centre) and transitional at front left (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]

Caspian Terns in different plumages: non-breeding (second from right) and transitional (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bribie Island, QLD, August 2021]

Close-up near-lateral view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Floreat Beach, Perth, WA, May 2025]

Near-lateral view of two Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage, with a Silver Gull and many young Whiskered Terns
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, February 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Floreat Beach, Perth, WA, May 2025]

Lateral view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Caloundra Headland, QLD, January 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gatton, QLD, August 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port of Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, March 2019]

Frontal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Near-frontal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, April 2022]

Close-up near-lateral view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a Caspian Tern's way of waste management... (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Lateral view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage in low flight (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Floreat Beach, Perth, WA, May 2025]

Lateral view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage taking off again after an unsuccessful dive
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]

Lateral/ventral view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, April 2012]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Floreat Beach, Perth, WA, May 2025]

This near-dorsal view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage in flight shows clearly both the upperwing pattern (near-side wing) and underwing pattern (far-side wing)
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage in flight
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]

Photos of Caspian Terns were also taken by us in Europe.

Behaviour

Social behaviour: ?

Mobility: Dispersive

Elementary unit: Solitary/small mob

Food, Diet

Like all terns, Caspian Terns feed on fish, which they catch with their bills just under the water surface in a steep high-speed dive from considerable height.

Caspian Tern trying to swallow a big fish; its is almost in, but not quite yet... (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port of Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, March 2019]

Caspian Tern now turning the fish (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port of Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, March 2019]

Caspian Tern uith a thish thtill thtuck in itth will... (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Port of Brisbane Wader Roost, Brisbane, QLD, March 2019]

Lateral view of a Caspian Tern taking off with its catch; see the page on White-necked Herons for an example of how they are hustled by Caspain Terns - an indication that the two species compete for food (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Caspian Tern attempting to grab something in shallow water
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]

Caspian Tern taking off after an unsuccessful attempt
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]

Dorsal view of a Caspian Tern taking off with its catch

Lateral view of a Caspian Tern in non-breeding plumage cleaning its bill - it had nothing in its bill that it might otherwise have been rinsing
[Goran Lake, near Gunnedah, NSW, May 2012]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

csptern_20231227.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact call? (in-flight)	© MD
csptern_20231227_3.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls? (in-flight)	© MD
csptern_me_20250808.m4a	(SW QLD)	Chasing off Whistling Kites (in-flight)	© ME
csptern_20231227_6.m4a	(NW NSW)	Various (in-flight)	© MD
csptern_me_20250808_2.m4a	(SW QLD)	Various (in-flight)	© ME

The calls in the recording below made several other species take to the air in alarm: Red-necked Avocet, Pied Stilt, Masked Lapwing, Silver Gull.

csptern_20231227_5.m4a

(NW NSW)

? (in-flight)

© MD

More Caspian Tern sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.