# Caspian Tern

*Hydroprogne caspia*

The Caspian Tern is the largest tern in the world, with a wingspan nearly as large as a Herring Gull.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Charadriiformes › Laridae › Hydroprogne
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** wetland
- **Habitat:** Large inland lakes, coastal beaches, estuaries, and salt marshes.
- **Diet:** Primarily fish, occasionally large insects, crustaceans, or the eggs and chicks of other birds.
- **Range:** North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand
- **Size:** Length 48-60 cm, Wingspan 127-145 cm
- **Lifespan:** 12-30 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat loss, human disturbance during nesting, and accumulation of environmental toxins like mercury.
- **Safe to approach?:** Generally harmless to humans but fiercely territorial near nests. If approached, they may dive-bomb to defend their young; maintain a 50-meter distance and leave the area if birds show distress.

## About

The Caspian tern ( Hydroprogne caspia ) is a species of tern, with a subcosmopolitan but scattered distribution. Despite its extensive range, it is monotypic of its genus, and has no accepted subspecies. The genus name is from Ancient Greek hudros , "water", and Latin progne , "swallow". The specific caspia is from Latin and, like the English name, refers to the Caspian Sea.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/51462a05-0c44-4041-aa1c-720377ca1044
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/144537
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroprogne caspia
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/666829308/medium.jpg (Daughter Dad, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.