Common Tern

Sterna hirundo

Passage migrant; former breeder.

The Common Tern breeds across the northern hemisphere from the sub Arctic to the topics, nesting at the coast and by inland water bodies. The European population winters on the west and southern African seaboard. 

Terns breeding on Caldey Island in 1662 were “almost certainly Common Terns” according to Sage (1956). A colony of about 20 pairs nesting on Skokholm Stack was recorded by Mathew (1894) which Lockley et al (1949) believed ceased breeding in 1916. There have been no breeding records in Pembrokeshire since.

Mathew (1894) stated that the Common Tern was “seen commonly on passage in spring and autumn”, but Lockley et al (1949) later noted that they were “no longer seen commonly on passage” and were chiefly seen in September and October. Donovan and Rees (1994) regarded the Common Tern as being sparse in the spring, between the 12th April and the 12th June, with up to 12 a day seen passing northwards off the west coast and associated islands but that they were more numerous in the autumn, between the 21st July and the 28th October, principally seen off the north coast, with the largest day count of 182 off Strumble Head on the 26th August 1990.

Any detailed assessment of the Common Tern’s status is limited by the fact that only a proportion of Common or Arctic Terns are identified to species, most being logged as “Common or Arctic” , usually expressed as “Commic Tern” . What can be gleaned is that the Common Tern has now been recorded in the county as early as the 30th March and as late as the 7th November. It has also been recorded occasionally within the Teifi, Nevern and Cleddau Estuaries, in the latter case as far upstream as Hook. One was seen flying overland at Letterston on the 10th September 1983.

See also the account for Common or Arctic Tern.

Graham Rees. (Covers records up to and including 2009).