Terns
Here's a list of all the UK Terns:
Caspian Tern
Caspian Terns are easily recognised by their large size and striking appearance. They have a robust red-orange bill with a black tip, black legs, and a distinctive black cap on their heads.
Their bodies are white with pale grey upper wings and dark primary feathers on the undersides. Unlike many other terns, they retain some black streaking on their foreheads even in winter.
Differences Between Male And Female Caspian Terns
Male and female Caspian Terns are similar in appearance, making them difficult to distinguish by sight alone.
Both sexes have the same colouration and size, with males typically being slightly larger than females.
Behavioural differences, particularly during breeding season, can help in identifying the sexes. Males are often more active in nest building and territorial displays.
Learn moreYellow-Legged Gull
Yellow-Legged Gulls are striking birds, varying in size but generally large. Their size ranges from around 50 to 70 centimetres in length, with a wingspan of 120 to 155 centimetres.
Adults boast a grey back and bright yellow legs. The key to distinguishing them lies in their wing tips, which are predominantly black with minimal white spots, and a red mark on their bill.
Differences Between Male And Female Yellow-Legged Gulls
Male and female Yellow-Legged Gulls are similar in appearance, but males are typically larger. Females may appear slightly smaller than the largest males, with subtler colour variations.
Learn moreSandwich Tern
Sandwich Terns are a captivating sight with their mostly white plumage contrasted by a striking black cap on their heads. They possess a distinctive black bill tipped with yellow and have short black legs.
When in flight, one can observe grey wedges on their wingtips and a forked tail. These birds are medium-sized and slender with long, pointed wings, making them a standout species in the UK, especially in nature reserves where they thrive.
Differences Between Male And Female Sandwich Terns
Interestingly, male and female Sandwich Terns share a similar appearance. Both genders boast the same colour patterns, with breeding adults showcasing a pale grey upper body, white underparts, and a black crest.
The key identifier when looking for Sandwich Terns, is their black bill with a yellow tip. The only notable difference is their size, with males generally being slightly larger than females.
Learn moreRoseate Tern
Roseate Terns, similar in size to Common Terns, are strikingly white with long tail-streamers, black caps, and black beaks that sport a red-coloured base.
During summers, their underparts develop a pinkish hue, which is quite distinctive and the origin of their name. This species is recognised for its slender build, straight, thin, and pointed bills, and long, pointy wings. They are larger in size than a Least Tern yet smaller than a Royal or Sandwich Tern.
Differences Between Male And Female Roseate Terns
Males and females of this species are quite similar in appearance, making it a challenge to differentiate between the two. Both sexes share the shiny, chalky white colouration, with pale grey upper wings and striking black caps.
The bill colour and faint rosy underparts are also common features, although subtle variations might be noticed by keen observers.
Learn moreMediterranean Gull
Mediterranean Gulls are striking when it’s their breeding season with their black heads, and white-coloured eye rings. Also, they have vibrant red-orange beaks and legs.
Their wings are a pale grey, with a white belly, flanks, upper back, and breast.
Differences Between Male And Female Mediterranean Gulls
Males and females are similar in appearance. In non-breeding seasons, they moult to a less distinct plumage, appearing mostly white with dark streaks around their eyes. Juveniles have marks that are white and brownish-grey in colour, with a paler belly and head.
Learn moreLittle Tern
The Little Tern is a charming, chatty seabird, easily recognised by its short tail and speedy flight. Notable for its striking yellow bill with a black tip, this bird becomes especially vocal in breeding colonies.
Differences Between Male And Female Little Terns
Male and female Little Terns are similar in appearance, but during courtship, the male performs a distinct aerial display, carrying a fish to entice a mate.
Learn moreLesser Black-Backed Gull
Lesser Black-Backed Gulls are medium-sized birds, smaller than Herring Gulls but larger than Ring-billed Gulls. They are characterised by their dark grey to black back and wings, contrasting with a white head and underparts.
Their bill is yellow with a red-coloured spot on the lower mandible, and their legs are a bright yellow, adding to their distinct appearance.
Differences Between Male And Female Lesser Black-Backed Gulls
There are no significant visual differences between male and female Lesser Black-Backed Gulls, making it challenging to distinguish them based on appearance alone.
Learn moreKittiwake
Kittiwakes are medium-sized, graceful gulls that have a distinct appearance.
They feature a grey-coloured back, white underparts, and a small yellow bill. They have long black legs, and in flight, their black wing-tips, devoid of white, are notable. They’re easily identifiable by their delicate build and ‘dipped in ink’ wing-tips.
Differences Between Male And Female Kittiwakes
Males and females are visually similar, making them hard to differentiate in the field. Both share the species’ characteristic grey and white plumage and ink-tipped wings.
Learn moreHerring Gull
Herring Gulls are big and striking birds. Adults are known for their light grey-coloured backs and white underparts, with characteristic black wing tips marked with ‘mirrors’.
Their legs are pink and they have webbed feet, with strong, slightly curved bills marked with red. Young birds display a mottled brown appearance.
Differences Between Male And Female Herring Gulls
While both male and female Herring Gulls share the same plumage, males are typically larger than females. This size difference is often the key to telling them apart.
Learn moreGlaucous Gull
Glaucous Gulls are large, powerful seabirds, boasting a pale grey mantle and white wingtips.
Adults display a pale grey back with a white tail and underparts, complemented by a thick, yellow bill.
Juveniles exhibit very pale grey plumage with a pink and black bill. These gulls are distinguishable by their size, being larger and bulkier than the similar Iceland Gull.
Differences Between Male And Female Glaucous Gulls
Male and female Glaucous Gulls share similar plumage, with females being marginally smaller. Both exhibit the same pale colouring and stout build characteristic of the species.
Learn moreCommon Tern
Common Terns are graceful birds, known for their pointed wingtips and long, narrow wings.
They sport a straight, slender bill and a characteristically forked tail, with short legs. This species exhibits a distinct size that’s bigger than a Least Tern but smaller than a Caspian Tern.
Differences Between Male And Female Common Terns
Both male and female Common Terns share a similar appearance. They are pale grey overall with a black-coloured cap.
Breeding birds display a fully black cap that extends to the back of their neck and a grey belly, complemented by an orange-coloured bill with a black tip and orange legs.
Learn moreBlack Tern
Black Terns are small terns distinguished by their all-black head and body, contrasting with grey wings, back, and tail in spring.
Come autumn, their upperparts turn grey, underparts white, and they sport distinctive black head markings. This Schedule 1 species occasionally breeds in the UK, making it a prized sighting for bird enthusiasts.
Differences Between Male And Female Black Terns
Male and female Black Terns share similar appearances, both donning black plumage with a large white wing patch in summer.
In winter, both sexes exhibit a white underbelly with grey upperparts.
Learn moreCommon Gull
Common Gulls, also familiarly known as mew gulls, are medium-sized seabirds boasting a wingspan typically between 110 and 130 cm. They feature a pale grey back contrasted by a pristine white head and underbelly, capped with striking black wingtips.
Their yellow bills, accented with a red spot near the tip, and their dark brown eyes are distinctive identifiers. Juveniles display a browner mix with mottled feathers, which gradually transition to the adult’s sleeker plumage.
Differences Between Male and Female Common Gulls
Male and female Common Gulls are challenging to distinguish visually as they share similar markings and sizes. Behavioural observations during the breeding season are sometimes more telling, with males often displaying more assertive mating rituals.
Learn moreArctic Tern
Arctic Terns are small and slender, with a graceful appearance characterised by angular wings and long tail streamers.
They display a predominantly grey and white plumage, featuring a striking black cap during the breeding season. These birds are easily recognisable by their blood-red bill and short red legs, which contrast vividly against their light body.
Differences Between Male and Female Arctic Terns
Males and females are largely similar in appearance, making it challenging to distinguish between them based solely on external features.
Both sexes share the same colouration and size, embodying the species’ distinctive sleek and streamlined look.
Learn more