WoRMS name details
Sterna sandvicensis Latham, 1787
137166 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:137166)
unaccepted > superseded combination
Species
marine, terrestrial
Latham, J.; Dwight, J.; Latham, J.; Latham, J.; Latham, J.; Padley, C.; Philips, E.; Tucker, M. B. (1787). Supplement to the General synopsis of birds. 298 pp., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33046575#page/7/mode/1up
page(s): 266 [details]
page(s): 266 [details]
Description Length: 36-46 cm. Plumage: rump white, other wise very pale grey above, with black crown and crest in breeding bird, white...
Description Length: 36-46 cm. Plumage: rump white, other wise very pale grey above, with black crown and crest in breeding bird, white forehead and white speckling on forecrown in non-breeding bird; white hindneck collar; white below tinged pink in breeding dress. Immature forehead brownish, mottled upperparts and dark grey tail. Bare parts: iris dark brown; bill black with yellowish white tip (diagnostic); feet and legs black. Habitat: seashores and estuaries. Palearctic migrant. <389><391><393> [details]
WoRMS (2026). Sterna sandvicensis Latham, 1787. Accessed at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=137166 on 2026-05-21
Date
action
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Nomenclature
original description
Latham, J.; Dwight, J.; Latham, J.; Latham, J.; Latham, J.; Padley, C.; Philips, E.; Tucker, M. B. (1787). Supplement to the General synopsis of birds. 298 pp., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33046575#page/7/mode/1up
page(s): 266 [details]
basis of record van der Land, J. (2001). Tetrapoda, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 375-376 (look up in IMIS) [details]
page(s): 266 [details]
basis of record van der Land, J. (2001). Tetrapoda, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 375-376 (look up in IMIS) [details]
Taxonomy
taxonomy source
Collinson, J. M.; Dufour, P.; Hamza, A.A.; Lawrie, Y.; Elliott, M.; Barlow, C.; Crochet, P.-A. (2017). When morphology is not reflected by molecular phylogeny: the case of three 'orange-billed terns' Thalasseus maximus, Thalasseus bergii and Thalasseus bengalensis (Charadriiformes: Laridae). <em>Biological Journal of the Linnean Society.</em> 121(2):439–445. [details]
taxonomy source Efe, M A, Tavares, E S, Baker, A J and Bonatto, S L. (2009). Multigene phylogeny and DNA barcoding indicate that the Sandwich tern complex (Thalasseus sandvicensis, Laridae, Sternini) comprises two species. <em>Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.</em> 52, 263-267., available online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2009.03.030 [details]
taxonomy source Efe, M A, Tavares, E S, Baker, A J and Bonatto, S L. (2009). Multigene phylogeny and DNA barcoding indicate that the Sandwich tern complex (Thalasseus sandvicensis, Laridae, Sternini) comprises two species. <em>Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.</em> 52, 263-267., available online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2009.03.030 [details]
Other
context source (BeRMS 2020)
Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). European Seabirds at Sea - data collected by the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). INBO Seabird distribution data (all trips). [details]
context source (Bermuda) Amos, E. J. R. (1991). A Guide to The Birds of Bermuda. 206 pp [details]
additional source Urban, E. K.; Fry, C. H.; Keith, S. (1986). The Birds of Africa, Volume II. <em>Academic Press, London.</em> [details]
additional source Muller, Y. (2004). Faune et flore du littoral du Nord, du Pas-de-Calais et de la Belgique: inventaire. [Coastal fauna and flora of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Belgium: inventory]. <em>Commission Régionale de Biologie Région Nord Pas-de-Calais: France.</em> 307 pp., available online at http://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/145561.pdf [details]
additional source Gallardo, J. C.; Macías, V.; Velarde, E. (2009). Birds (Vertebrata: Aves) of the Gulf of Mexico. <em>In: Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas.</em> Pp. 1321–1342. [details]
additional source Cattrijsse, A. & M. Vincx. (2001). Biodiversity of the benthos and the avifauna of the Belgian coastal waters: summary of data collected between 1970 and 1998. <em>Federal Office for Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs: Brussel, Belgium.</em> 48 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors
[request]
additional source AviList Core Team. (2025). AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025. , available online at https://www.avilist.org/checklist/v2025/ [details]
context source (Bermuda) Amos, E. J. R. (1991). A Guide to The Birds of Bermuda. 206 pp [details]
additional source Urban, E. K.; Fry, C. H.; Keith, S. (1986). The Birds of Africa, Volume II. <em>Academic Press, London.</em> [details]
additional source Muller, Y. (2004). Faune et flore du littoral du Nord, du Pas-de-Calais et de la Belgique: inventaire. [Coastal fauna and flora of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Belgium: inventory]. <em>Commission Régionale de Biologie Région Nord Pas-de-Calais: France.</em> 307 pp., available online at http://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/145561.pdf [details]
additional source Gallardo, J. C.; Macías, V.; Velarde, E. (2009). Birds (Vertebrata: Aves) of the Gulf of Mexico. <em>In: Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas.</em> Pp. 1321–1342. [details]
additional source Cattrijsse, A. & M. Vincx. (2001). Biodiversity of the benthos and the avifauna of the Belgian coastal waters: summary of data collected between 1970 and 1998. <em>Federal Office for Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs: Brussel, Belgium.</em> 48 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors
[request]additional source AviList Core Team. (2025). AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025. , available online at https://www.avilist.org/checklist/v2025/ [details]
Present Present in aphia/obis/gbif/idigbio Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
Unreviewed
Breeding Overproduction seem to occur commonly in Sandwich terns and the investment in a surplus egg serves mainly as an insurance mechanism. [details]Description Length: 36-46 cm. Plumage: rump white, other wise very pale grey above, with black crown and crest in breeding bird, white forehead and white speckling on forecrown in non-breeding bird; white hindneck collar; white below tinged pink in breeding dress. Immature forehead brownish, mottled upperparts and dark grey tail. Bare parts: iris dark brown; bill black with yellowish white tip (diagnostic); feet and legs black. Habitat: seashores and estuaries. Palearctic migrant. <389><391><393> [details]
| Language | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| Albanian | sterni dimërakdallëndyshja e detit këmbëshkurtër | [details] |
| Bulgarian | Гривеста рибарка | [details] |
| Danish | splitterne | [details] |
| Dutch | grote stern | [details] |
| English | sandwich tern | [details] |
| French | sterne caugek | [details] |
| German | Brandseeschwalbe | [details] |
| Hebrew | שחפית שחורת-מקור | [details] |
| Italian | beccapesci | [details] |
| Lithuanian | margasnapė žuvėdra | [details] |
| Modern Greek (1453-) | Χειμωνογλάρονο | [details] |
| Norwegian | splitterne | [details] |
| Polish | rybitwa czubata | [details] |
| Russian | пестроносая крачка | [details] |
| Scottish Gaelic | geabhróg scothdhubh | [details] |
| Slovenian | kričava čigra | [details] |
| Spanish | charrán patinegro | [details] |
| Swedish | kentsk tärna | [details] |
| Turkish | kara gagalı sumrukara gagali sumru | [details] |
| Ukrainian | Строкатоносий крячокКрячок рябодзьобий | [details] |
| Welsh | môr-wennol bigddu | [details] |
Marine Life Information Network - UK
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (189 publications)
To Dyntaxa
To GenBank (113 nucleotides; 38 proteins)
To Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To PESI
To ITIS
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (189 publications)
To Dyntaxa
To GenBank (113 nucleotides; 38 proteins)
To Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To PESI
To ITIS
From editor or global species database
