Terns (Sternidae)

Antarctic Tern (Sterna vittata) - HBW 3, p. 654

French: Sterna couronnée German: Antarktikseeschwalbe Spanish: Charrán Antártico

Taxonomy: Sterna vittata Gmelin, 1789, Kerguelen Island.
Birds of St Paul and Amsterdam Is sometimes included in nominate vittata; further study required. Six subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

tristanensis Murphy, 1938 - Tristan da Cunha, Gough, and possibly Amsterdam and St Paul; single breeding report from South Africa questioned, but based on a ringing recovery.
georgiae Reichenow, 1904 - South Georgia; birds of South Orkney Is, South Sandwich Is and Bouvetøya I possibly of this race.
gaini Murphy, 1938 - South Shetland Is; presumably this race breeds S to Marguerite Bay on Antarctic Peninsula.

See all 6 subspecies

tristanensis Murphy, 1938 - Tristan da Cunha, Gough, and possibly Amsterdam and St Paul; single breeding report from South Africa questioned, but based on a ringing recovery.
georgiae Reichenow, 1904 - South Georgia; birds of South Orkney Is, South Sandwich Is and Bouvetøya I possibly of this race.
gaini Murphy, 1938 - South Shetland Is; presumably this race breeds S to Marguerite Bay on Antarctic Peninsula.
vittata Gmelin, 1789 - Prince Edward I, Marion I, Crozet Is, Kerguelen Is, and (probably this race) Heard I.
bethunei Buller, 1896 - Stewart I, and Snares Is, Auckland Is, Bounty Is, Antipodes Is and Campbell I.
macquariensis Falla, 1937 - Macquarie I.