Common Tern vs Crested Myna

Sterna hirundo compared with Acridotheres cristatellus

Key Differences

• Common Tern is Endangered while Crested Myna is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Tern	Crested Myna
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Charadriiformes (Charadriiformes)	Passeriformes (Songbirds)
Family	Laridae	Sturnidae
Genus	Sterna	Acridotheres
Species	Sterna hirundo	Acridotheres cristatellus

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Tern and Crested Myna share a common ancestor at the Class level: Aves. (Birds)

Conservation Status

Common Tern

EN — Endangered

Crested Myna

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Tern	Crested Myna
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Tern

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 9 distinct biome types spanning the Neotropic and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (7 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Crested Myna

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas within the Neotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Japan, Singapore, United Arab Emirates), Europe (7 countries), and South America (Argentina, Bolivia).

Common Tern

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List. At high risk of extinction in the wild, with significant population decline and ongoing threats to survival.

Crested Myna

Crested Myna (Acridotheres cristatellus) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Widespread and abundant across its range, with stable populations and no immediate conservation concerns.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal