Terns are elegant seabirds which travel thousands of miles from Africa to breed along our shoreline. You’ll often see them gliding over coastal waters, diving for fish with pinpoint precision.
But telling one species from another can be tricky—especially when they’re all white, grey, and black with similar silhouettes.
Here’s a handy guide to help you distinguish four of the species you might spot along the Solent coastline: the common tern, little tern, Sandwich tern, and roseate tern. Scroll to the bottom of the page for a useful side-by-side size comparison.
Common tern
| Size | 31-35cm |
| Bill | Red with black tip |
| Legs | Red |
| Plumage | Pale grey upperparts, white underparts, black cap |
| Shape | Long, pointed wings and deeply forked tail |
| Call | Piercing “keeer”, rapid “kirrikirrikirrik” call |
Little terns
| Size | 22-24cm (the smallest) |
| Bill | Yellow with a black tip |
| Legs | Yellow |
| Plumage | Pale grey back and wings, white underparts, blackish streak at wingtips, black cap with a distinctive white forehead patch |
| Shape | Very small and agile |
| Call | Squeaky “kit-kit-kit” |
Sandwich terns
| Size | 36-41cm long (the largest of the four) |
| Bill | Long, black with a yellow tip |
| Legs | Black |
| Plumage | Pale grey wings and back, white underparts, black shaggy crest |
| Call | Loud, grating “kear-ik” |
Roseate terns
| Size | 33-38cm long |
| Bill | Black with an orange base |
| Legs | Red |
| Plumage | Very pale to white overall, VERY faint pinkish flush, blackish streaks on wingtips |
| Shape | Long, elegant tail streamers |
| Call | Croaking and musical "chu-vik" |
Side-by-side size comparison
Thanks to everyone who looks out for groundnesting birds. Their nests and well-camouflaged eggs are incredibly vulnerable to disturbance. It’s essential for us to be vigilant, giving these birds ample space and following requests on signs to ensure their safety.
