Hi Is this an Arctic or Common Tern ?? many thanks (1 Viewer)

[Rudegar]

Can anyone help with this Is it an Arctic or Common tern??

Many thanks.

 

[Butty]

Could you give the location and the date, please? Thanks.
If location and date are suitable and leave no options other than those two species, it looks like an arctic tern - all-red bill.

 

[pianoman]

Wing tip primary projections are extending well beyond tail, which I believe is another pro-Arctic feature

 

[Butty]

No, that's a common tern feature - but of course it might just have a shorter tail (moult, wear, damage).

 

[pianoman]

Oops, I got that the wrong way round, thanks Butty

 

[THE_FERN]

...all-red bill.

Just to note the particular shade of red is valuable. Common tern is normally a more orange-red. The bill here is short and relatively deep (pro-Arctic)

 

[Rudegar]

Could you give the location and the date, please? Thanks.
If location and date are suitable and leave no options other than those two species, it looks like an arctic tern - all-red bill.

Thanks for that it was in June last year in the Shetlands.

 

[Bewick]

Can anyone help with this Is it an Arctic or Common tern??

Many thanks.

I’m not great on terns however doesn’t the lack of a black tip suggest an artic?

 

[KC Foggin]

I'm leaning towards an Artic Tern.

 

[Rudegar]

Thanks everybody for the help. Much appreciated. Am leaning towards Arctic from the comments expressed.

 

[Steve Lister]

The person who writes the records on the board in the Ryan's Field hide at the Hayle Estuary always puts Artic for skuas, terns, whatever. I see he is not alone.

 

[Butty]

I expect you correct his spelling though.

 

[Harrybongo]

Hi. From the bill length and, slight curvature of, for me, it's a Common Tern.