Head to head
Common Tern vs Sandwich Tern
Common Tern
VS Sandwich Tern
The common tern and Sandwich tern often nest side by side in mixed coastal colonies, distinguished mainly by bill colour and crest shape.
| Common Tern | Sandwich Tern | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Sterna hirundo | Thalasseus sandvicensis |
| Bill colour | Red-orange, black tip | Black, yellow tip |
| Crest | Smooth black cap | Shaggy black crest |
| Tail | Deeply forked | Forked |
| Native range | North America, Europe, Asia | Europe, Africa, Americas |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Population trend | Decreasing | Stable |
| Habitat | Coastal, wetlands | Coastal |
Common Tern vs Sandwich Tern: common questions
How can you tell a common tern from a Sandwich tern?
The easiest way is the bill: the common tern has a red-orange bill tipped with black, while the Sandwich tern has a black bill tipped with yellow, and the Sandwich tern also shows a distinctive shaggy crest the common tern lacks.
Is the Sandwich tern named after the food?
No, the Sandwich tern is named after the English town of Sandwich in Kent, where it was first formally described, a naming origin that has nothing to do with the common tern or any food.
Do the common tern and Sandwich tern hunt the same way?
Yes, both species hunt mainly by hovering above the water before plunge-diving to seize small fish, a shared hunting strategy despite their differences in bill colour and crest shape.