Caspian tern
Hydroprogne caspia
xonix · Kaliningrad region
Key facts in one look
- Size
- 48–60 cm, wingspan 127–145 cm; 530–782 g
- Diet
- Fish, eggs and young of other birds, crustaceans
- Status in Georgia
- Summer visitor (non-breeding), migrant
- Recorded regions
- Adjara
- Habitat
- Sea coast, lagoons, large lakes, reservoirs
- Family
- Laridae
- Conservation
- Global LC (2018); Georgia LC (2024)
The Caspian tern hovers high over the water, searching for fish, and then plunges in. It is the largest tern in the world: 48–60 cm long, with a wingspan of 127–145 cm, and a weight of 530–782 g. It has a black cap, a white neck, belly and tail, and pale grey upperparts. The bill is long, thick and red-orange with a small black tip, and the legs are black. It is harmless to people. The 2024 Georgian checklist lists it as a non-breeding summer visitor and a migrant, although its seasonal pattern in Georgia is not fully understood. There are few records from Georgia, from April, June and September, mostly from Adjara, near Batumi, and from Poti. Both globally and in Georgia it is rated Least Concern (LC).
Identification
Caspian tern: how to identify it
Its size and thick red-orange bill are the key features. In flight the underwing shows dark primary feathers and black tips, and the tail is less forked than in other terns.
It has a black cap, while the rest of the head, the neck, belly and tail are white. The upperwings and back are pale grey. The underwings are pale with dark primaries, and the wingtips are black from below.
It is 48–60 cm long, with a wingspan of 127–145 cm, and weighs 530–782 g. The bill is long, thick and red-orange with a small black tip, and the legs are black. In flight the tail is less forked than in other terns. The call is a loud, heron-like croak.
In winter, unlike many other terns, it keeps its black cap, with only some white streaks on the forehead. The chicks vary a lot in plumage, from pale cream to dark grey-brown, which helps the parents recognise their own chicks in the colony.
Colour
Swatches are illustrative. Do not identify a species by colour alone.
It breeds on large lakes and sea coasts. It occurs on sheltered coasts, in estuaries, bays, harbours, coastal lagoons, salt marshes and salt pans, and inland on large lakes, inland seas, large rivers, floodlands and reservoirs. In winter it stays mostly on the coast. For nesting it chooses sandy, shell-strewn or shingle beaches, dunes, flat rocks and sparsely vegetated islands surrounded by clear, shallow, undisturbed water. In Georgia most records come from Adjara, near Batumi, in April and September. There are a few records from Poti, in April, and one from the Tbilisi Sea, in June.
The Caspian tern map combines public iNaturalist observations. Regions are taken from the records-by-region table, and the status column separates regions with enough records from regions with too few records. Record counts reflect observation effort rather than population density. One region has enough records: Adjara.
Data: Reptiles.ge + iNaturalist · Methodology
- Field observation
- Several records in one spot
- Photo record
- Region with records
It feeds mainly on fish 5–25 cm long. It hovers high over the water searching for fish and then dives in. It also eats the eggs and young of other birds, carrion, aquatic invertebrates such as crayfish, flying insects, earthworms and sometimes rodents. It fishes both at sea and on freshwater lakes, sometimes up to 60 km from the colony.
Populations breeding near the equator are largely sedentary, while northern ones are strongly migratory: after breeding they disperse and fly south. European and Asian birds winter in the Old World tropics. It is not very gregarious outside the breeding season, but may form flocks on migration, and in winter it gathers at rich fishing grounds and night roosts. In the northern hemisphere it breeds from April to June in large, dense colonies, or as single pairs and groups of 2–3 pairs in colonies of other species. The nest is a shallow scrape in sand, gravel, shells or dried mud. Neighbouring nests are 0.7–4 m apart. The female lays 1–3 pale blue-green eggs with heavy brown spots, incubation lasts 26–28 days, and the chicks fledge at 35–45 days.
Globally the Caspian tern is rated Least Concern (LC, 2018). A 2015 estimate puts the world population at 250,000–470,000 birds, and the European one at 11,800–14,800 pairs. Overall numbers are increasing, although some populations are decreasing, stable or of unknown trend. The Baltic Sea population is declining. The main threat is human disturbance at colonies. In the past, collecting eggs and birds for food and feathers caused large declines. Birds are still shot, though on a much smaller scale. The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies to it. The 2024 Georgian checklist also rates it Least Concern (LC) in Georgia.
Related guides
Continue with related pages
Yes. The 2024 Georgian checklist lists it as a non-breeding summer visitor and a migrant. There are few records from Georgia, from April, June and September.
Most records come from Batumi, in April and September. It has also been seen near Poti and at the Tbilisi Sea. Look for it on the sea coast, hovering over the water.
It is the largest tern in the world: 48–60 cm long, with a wingspan of 127–145 cm. It has a black cap, a white body, a pale grey back and a thick red-orange bill with a black tip. The call is a loud, heron-like croak.
Mainly fish 5–25 cm long, which it dives for. It also eats the eggs and young of other birds, carrion, crayfish, insects and earthworms.
On sandy, shingle or shell beaches and islands, in large colonies or as single pairs in colonies of other species. The female lays 1–3 eggs, incubation lasts 26–28 days, and the chicks fledge at 35–45 days. It does not breed in Georgia.
It is harmless to people. Both globally and in Georgia it is rated Least Concern (LC), and its overall numbers are increasing. The main threat is disturbance at colonies. If you find an injured bird, call 112 or the environmental protection service.
References
What this profile is based on
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
Prepared by the Reptiles.ge editorial team from the sources listed here.
