Sterna hirundo

The Common Tern is classified as Vulnerable (VU) based on the reduction of its range and the number of breeding colonies. Most of the Israeli breeding population is now concentrated in a single colony on the Carmel Coast. The estimated rate of range decrease exceeds 50% over 3 generations (34.5 years). On the other hand, the breeding population in Israel is part of a larger nomadic population, which could provide immigration (“rescue effect”). In the previous edition of the Red Book (2002), it was classified as Near Threatened (NT). The change in the species threat category is due to the reduction in its range and the number of nesting colonies, although the total number of breeding pairs has apparently not decreased, and even seems to have increased over the past two decades.

Habitats	Coastal Islats, Salt Ponds, Wetlands with Shallow Banks
Presence In Israel	Summer Breeder, Migrant
Nesting In Israel	Breeder
Migration Types	Long Range
Zoography Zones	Mediterranean
Landscape Formations	Salt Ponds, Coastal Islats, Wetlands, Freshwater Bodies, Mud Plain
Vegetation Densities	Low
Nest Locations	Ground
Diet Types	Fish
Foraging Grounds	Water
Body Sizes	Small (up to 500g)
Threat Factors	Wetland Drainage & Pollution

The Common Tern is the typical and most common representative of the terns in Israel, and the only one that breeds here in significant numbers. A relatively small slender tern, with a pale grey back and a white belly. In summer plumage, legs are red and it has a red, black-tipped bill. It has long, narrow pointed wings, and a long, forked tail. When foraging it flies in circles or hovers in place and then dives into the water.

A common passage migrant in both migration seasons. It is a summer breeder in a number of colonies, the largest of which are on the Carmel Coast and the others on the islands opposite Rosh HaNikra and in the Hula Valley. The breeding population comprises about 1,000 pairs.

The Common Tern is a colonial breeder on seashores or in inland lakes and ponds. The colonies are located on rocky islands, mud and sand bars or on undisturbed beaches. The nest is a shallow depression in the ground, or slightly raised on a pile of gravel or pebbles (particularly when nesting in shallow water). Lone pairs or several pairs occasionally use rafts, buoys, pipes and the like to nest, in inland water bodies such as fishponds or reservoirs.

Direct human disturbance, e.g. people in off-road vehicles and on foot (on shores and reservoirs), boating and fishing activity around islands in the sea.
In artificial water bodies, they are affected by rapid water level fluctuation that inundate nests or expose them to predators.
Increased predation by invasive and eruptive species, e.g. jackals, mongooses, foxes and crows.

During recent years, all Common Tern breeding sites are regularly monitored. The largest breeding colony is in the Atlit saltpans, where the nesting island was expanded and fenced to prevent nest inundation and predator invasion of the colony. At a number of other sites, e.g. the Hula Nature Reserve, artificial nesting islands have been built.

• הצופה, א. ומירוז, א. 2009. קינון שחפיות בישראל - תמונת מצב והמלצות לממשק. מסמך פנימי של רשות הטבע והגנים והחברה להגנת הטבע.
• פז, ע. 1986. עופות. מתוך אלון, ע. (עורך), החי והצומח של ארץ ישראל. כרך 6. הוצאת משרד הביטחון, ישראל.
• ריבק, א., כיאט, י., גולדשטיין, ע., והצופה, א. 2017. קינון שחפיות בחוף הכרמל - סיכום עונת 2017.

• Shirihai, H., 1996. The Birds of Israel. Academic Press, London.
• Symes, A. 2013. Species generation lengths. Unpublished, BirdLife International.
• Species page at Birdlife International