Common Tern vs Laysan Duck

Sterna hirundo compared with Anas laysanensis

Key Differences

• Common Tern is Endangered while Laysan Duck is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Tern	Laysan Duck
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Charadriiformes (Charadriiformes)	Anseriformes (Anseriformes)
Family	Laridae	Anatidae
Genus	Sterna	Anas
Species	Sterna hirundo	Anas laysanensis

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Common Tern

EN — Endangered

Laysan Duck

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Tern	Laysan Duck
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.

Laysan Duck

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, France, Netherlands, Norway, and United Kingdom. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

Laysan Duck

Laysan Duck (Anas laysanensis) is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List. Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild due to severe population decline and habitat loss.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway