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Polar & OceansAntarctic tern
Sterna vittata
The Antarctic tern (Sterna vittata) is a bird found in Antarctica, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Rocky shores and islands around Antarctica and the southern oceans. It eats fish and insects and other small invertebrates. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
See the Antarctic tern on the 3D globe →| Scientific name | Sterna vittata |
|---|---|
| Region | Polar & Oceans |
| Found in | Antarctica, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia |
🏡 Where the Antarctic tern lives
Rocky shores and islands around Antarctica and the southern oceans.
🍽️ What it eats
- 🐟 Fish90%
- 🐛 Insects & bugs10%
A rough guide to its diet over a year. Source: EltonTraits (Wilman et al. 2014).
Conservation status
Hear the Antarctic tern
Recorded by Sander Lagerveld (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0), xeno-canto XC396457. Trimmed to a few seconds.
Questions about the Antarctic tern
Where does the Antarctic tern live?
The Antarctic tern lives in Antarctica, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Rocky shores and islands around Antarctica and the southern oceans.
What does the Antarctic tern eat?
fish (about 90%), insects and other small invertebrates (about 10%). These are rough shares of its diet over a year, from the EltonTraits database.
Is the Antarctic tern endangered?
There are plenty of these birds. Its IUCN Red List category is Least Concern.
More birds from Polar & Oceans
Sources: IUCN Red List (via Wikidata), EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014), GBIF sightings for countries, Wikipedia. Last updated 2026-10-19.