South American Tern
Sterna hirundinacea
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Caradriformes)
- FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
- GenusSterna (Typical Terns)
- SpeciesSterna hirundinacea (South American Tern)
The South American tern (Sterna hirundinacea) is a species of tern found in coastal regions of southern South America, including the Falkland Islands, ranging north to Peru (Pacific coast) and Brazil (Atlantic coast). It is generally the most common tern in its range. The smaller, highly migratory common tern closely resembles it. The specific epithet refers to the "swallow-like" forked tail feathering. Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Tijuca National Park
Dominican Gull
Larus dominicanus
Grey-hooded Gull
Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus
Southern Lapwing
Vanellus chilensis
Solitary Sandpiper
Tringa solitaria
Wattled Jacana
Jacana jacana
Black-necked Stilt
Himantopus mexicanus
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
American Oystercatcher
Haematopus palliatus
📅 Monthly Probability
Fewer than 5 records of South American Tern at Tijuca National Park — not enough to chart months honestly.
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Península Valdés | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Tierra del Fuego National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 3 | Torres del Paine National Park | 🇨🇱 Chile | |
| 4 | Paracas National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 5 | Machalilla National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 6 | Tijuca National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |