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closeIUCN Red List history
| Year | Category |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Least Concern |
| 2009 | Least Concern |
| 2008 | Least Concern |
| 2004 | Least Concern |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1994 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
Species attributes
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | Does not normally occur in forest |
| Land mass type | Average mass | 139 g |
Distribution
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) | 453,000 | |
| Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) | 453,000 | |
| Number of locations | - | |
| Fragmentation | - |
Population & trend
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of mature individuals | poor | Estimated | 2009 | |
| Population trend | Decreasing | - | ||
| Number of subpopulations | - | - | - | |
| Largest subpopulation | - | - | - | |
| Generation length (yrs) | 11 | - | - | - |
| Trend justification: The overall population trend is decreasing, although some populations have unknown trends (Wetlands International 2006). | ||||
Country/Territory distribution
| Country/Territory | Occurrence status | Extinct | Breeding | Non-breeding | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antarctica | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Argentina | Native | No | |||
| Australia | Native | No | |||
| Bouvet Island (to Norway) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Brazil | Native | No | |||
| Chile | Native | No | |||
| Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | Native | No | |||
| French Southern Territories | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Heard Island and McDonald Islands (to Australia) | Native | No | |||
| New Zealand | Native | No | |||
| South Africa | Native | No | Yes | ||
| South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands | Native | No | Yes | ||
| St Helena (to UK) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Uruguay | Native | No | Yes |
Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria
| Country/Territory | IBA Name | IBA link |
|---|---|---|
| Antarctica | Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island |  |
| French Southern Territories | Île Saint Paul | |
| South Africa | Algoa Bay Island Nature Reserve | |
| South Africa | Prince Edward Islands Special Nature Reserve | |
| South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands | South Georgia - mainland, islands, islets and stacks | |
| St Helena (to UK) | Gough Island | |
| St Helena (to UK) | Inaccessible Island | |
| St Helena (to UK) | Nightingale Island group | |
| St Helena (to UK) | Tristan da Cunha | |
Habitats & altitude
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands | major | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Rocky Shoreline | major | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Tidepools | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Macroalgal/Kelp | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Macroalgal/Kelp | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Pelagic | marginal | resident |
| Marine Neritic | Seagrass (Submerged) | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Seagrass (Submerged) | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy-Mud | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy-Mud | major | breeding |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | suitable | breeding | |
| Altitude | 0 - 100 m | Occasional altitudinal limits |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Sterna vittata. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 25/05/2013.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 25/05/2013.
This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Current IUCN Red List category | Least Concern |
| Family | Laridae (Gulls and terns) |
| Species name author | Gmelin, 1789 |
| Population size | mature individuals |
| Population trend | Decreasing |
| Distribution size (breeding/resident) | 453,000 km2 |
| Country endemic? | No |
| Links to further information | |
| - Summary information on this species | |
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