Commic terns

A collective name sometimes applied to the group of terns typified by the Arctic, Common, Antarctic, White-fronted, Roseate. Origin is probably from amalgamation of "common" and "arctic". Or, more specifically; a Common Tern, Sterna hirundo or an Arctic Tern, S. paradisaea, the name being used on those occasions when the observer is uncertain which of these two closely similar species he has seen. White-fronted is the largest of the commic terns.

Top row: Arctic, Common, Antarctic, Bottom row: White-fronted, and Roseate Terns.

References

This article is part of Project Glossary, an All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each term related to animals.

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