Kingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Chordata > Class: Aves > Order: Charadriiformes > Family: Sternidae > Genus: Gelochelidon > Species: Gelochelidon nilotica > See subspecies

Scientific name	Source
Gelochelidon nilotica nilotica Gmelin, 1789

Gull-billed Tern - Gelochelidon nilotica (Gmelin, 1789)

Images from the web

Quick facts

Threat status Europe	Least Concern (IUCN)
Protected by	EU Birds Directive and 4 other international agreements
Natura 2000 sites	266 are designated for this species
Natura 2000 species code	A189

Distribution

The distribution map is currently disabled. A new map solution will soon become available. In the meantime, please consult other species distribution map providers listed in the Other resources panel below.

Threat and conservation status

IUCN Red List status of threatened species

The IUCN Red List threat status assesses the risk of extinction.

World

Least Concern

Europe

Least Concern

IUCN Red List Category

Not Evaluated	Near Threatened	Regionally Extinct
Not Applicable	Vulnerable	Extinct in the Wild
Data Deficient	Endangered	Extinct
Least Concern	Critically Endangered

Sources:

EU conservation status

The EU conservation status is assessed for species mentioned in the EU Habitats Directive annexes. The EU Habitats Directive does not cover this species.

Natura 2000 sites

Protected in the following Natura 2000 sites

Sitecode	Country	Site name	Action
CY6000002	Cyprus	ALYKES LARNAKAS	Map
DK009X065	Denmark	Rømø	Map
DK00AX052	Denmark	Mandø	Map
DK00AX053	Denmark	Fanø	Map
DK00AX055	Denmark	Skallingen og Langli	Map
DK00AY057	Denmark	Vadehavet	Map
ES0000004	Spain	Lagunas de Villafáfila	Map
ES0000017	Spain	Cuenca de Gallocanta	Map
ES0000019	Spain	Aiguamolls de l'Alt Empordà	Map
ES0000020	Spain	Delta de l'Ebre	Map
ES0000023	Spain	L'Albufera	Map
ES0000024	Spain	Doñana	Map
ES0000025	Spain	Marismas del Odiel	Map
ES0000027	Spain	Laguna de Medina	Map
ES0000030	Spain	Complejo Endorreico de Puerto Real	Map
ES0000033	Spain	Laguna de Fuente de Piedra	Map
ES0000034	Spain	Lagunas del Sur de Córdoba	Map
ES0000046	Spain	Cabo de Gata-Níjar	Map
ES0000048	Spain	Punta Entinas-Sabinar	Map
ES0000068	Spain	Embalse de Orellana y Sierra de Pela	Map
ES0000069	Spain	Embalse de Cornalvo y Sierra Bermeja	Map
ES0000091	Spain	ZEPA Humedales de La Mancha	Map
ES0000119	Spain	Carrizales y sotos de Aranjuez	Map
ES0000140	Spain	Bahía de Cádiz	Map
ES0000144	Spain	Urdaibaiko itsasadarra / Ría de Urdaibai	Map
ES0000146	Spain	Delta del Llobregat	Map
ES0000175	Spain	Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar	Map
ES0000184	Spain	Valle del Tiétar - ZEPA	Map
ES0000189	Spain	Campo Azálvaro - Pinares de Peguerinos - ZEPA	Map
ES0000195	Spain	Humedal del Ajauque y Rambla Salada	Map
ES0000200	Spain	Isla Grosa	Map
ES0000216	Spain	La Nava-Campos Sur	Map
ES0000260	Spain	Mar Menor	Map
ES0000272	Spain	Brazo del Este	Map
ES0000273	Spain	Embalse de Cordobilla	Map
ES0000274	Spain	Embalse de Malpasillo	Map
ES0000275	Spain	Complejo Endorreico de Lebrija-Las Cabezas	Map
ES0000294	Spain	Laguna de Sariñena y Balsa de La Estación	Map
ES0000296	Spain	Embalse del Pas y Santa Rita	Map
ES0000318	Spain	Cabo Busto-Luanco	Map
ES0000319	Spain	Ría de Ribadesella-Ría de Tinamayor	Map
ES0000324	Spain	Embalse de Arrocampo	Map
ES0000325	Spain	Campiña sur - Embalse de Arroyo Conejos	Map
ES0000327	Spain	Embalse de los Canchales	Map
ES0000328	Spain	Embalse de Montijo	Map
ES0000329	Spain	Embalse de Valdecañas	Map
ES0000333	Spain	Llanos de Zorita y Embalse de Sierra Brava	Map
ES0000334	Spain	Sierras Centrales y Embalse de Alange	Map
ES0000359	Spain	Campos de Alba	Map
ES0000367	Spain	La Serena y Sierras Periféricas	Map
ES0000393	Spain	Azud de Badajoz	Map
ES0000398	Spain	Llanos y Complejo Lagunar de la Albuera	Map
ES0000408	Spain	Vegas del Ruecas, Cubilar y Moheda Alta	Map
ES2120014	Spain	Ulia	Map
ES2120017	Spain	Jaizkibel	Map
ES2130005	Spain	Gaztelugatxeko Doniene / San Juan de Gaztelugatxe	Map
ES2130007	Spain	Urdaibaiko itsasertzak eta padurak / Zonas litorales y marismas de Urdaibai	Map
ES4140036	Spain	La Nava-Campos Norte	Map
ES4310004	Spain	Dehesas de Jerez	Map
ES5120015	Spain	Litoral del Baix Empordà	Map
ES6110001	Spain	Albufera de Adra	Map
ES6120003	Spain	Estuario del Río Guadiaro	Map
ES6120008	Spain	La Breña y Marismas del Barbate	Map
ES6120014	Spain	Laguna de Las Canteras y El Tejón	Map
ES6150005	Spain	Marismas de Isla Cristina	Map
ES6170001	Spain	Laguna de La Ratosa	Map
ES6170015	Spain	Lagunas de Campillos	Map
ES6180001	Spain	Complejo Endorreico de Utrera	Map
ES6180002	Spain	Complejo Endorreico de La Lantejuela	Map
ES6180003	Spain	Laguna del Gosque	Map
FR2310044	France	Estuaire et marais de la Basse Seine	Map
FR2310045	France	Littoral seino-marin	Map
FR5410012	France	Anse du Fier d'Ars en Ré	Map
FR5410013	France	Anse de Fouras, baie d'Yves, marais de Rochefort	Map
FR5410100	France	Marais poitevin	Map
FR7210063	France	Domaine d'Orx	Map
FR9110034	France	Étang du Bagnas	Map
FR9110042	France	Étangs palavasiens et étang de l'Estagnol	Map
FR9110108	France	Basse plaine de l'Aude	Map
FR9112001	France	Camargue gardoise fluvio-lacustre	Map
FR9310019	France	Camargue	Map
FR9312001	France	Marais entre Crau et Grand Rhône	Map
FR9312005	France	Salines de l'Étang de Berre	Map
FR9312008	France	Salins d'Hyères et des Pesquiers	Map
IT1180004	Italy	Greto dello Scrivia	Map
IT3320037	Italy	Laguna di Marano e Grado	Map
IT3330005	Italy	Foce dell'Isonzo - Isola della Cona	Map
IT3330006	Italy	Valle Cavanata e Banco Mula di Muggia	Map
IT4020017	Italy	Aree delle risorgive di Viarolo, Bacini di Torrile, Fascia golenale del Po	Map
IT4020018	Italy	Prati e Ripristini ambientali di Frescarolo e Samboseto	Map
IT4020019	Italy	Golena del Po presso Zibello	Map
IT4040015	Italy	Valle di Gruppo	Map
IT4040018	Italy	Le Meleghine	Map
IT4050022	Italy	Biotopi e Ripristini ambientali di Medicina e Molinella	Map
IT4050023	Italy	Biotopi e Ripristini ambientali di Budrio e Minerbio	Map
IT4050024	Italy	Biotopi e Ripristini ambientali di Bentivoglio, S. Pietro in Casale, Malalbergo e Baricella	Map
IT4060001	Italy	Valli di Argenta	Map
IT4060002	Italy	Valli di Comacchio	Map
IT4060003	Italy	Vene di Bellocchio, Sacca di Bellocchio, Foce del Fiume Reno, Pineta di Bellocchio	Map
IT4060004	Italy	Valle Bertuzzi, Valle Porticino - Canneviè	Map
IT4060005	Italy	Sacca di Goro, Po di Goro, Valle Dindona, Foce del Po di Volano	Map
IT4060008	Italy	Valle del Mezzano	Map
IT4060014	Italy	Bacini di Jolanda di Savoia	Map
IT4060015	Italy	Bosco della Mesola, Bosco Panfilia, Bosco di Santa Giustina, Valle Falce, La Goara	Map
IT4070001	Italy	Punte Alberete, Valle Mandriole	Map
IT4070002	Italy	Bardello	Map
IT4070004	Italy	Pialasse Baiona, Risega e Pontazzo	Map
IT4070007	Italy	Salina di Cervia	Map
IT4070009	Italy	Ortazzo, Ortazzino, Foce del Torrente Bevano	Map
IT4070020	Italy	Bacini ex - zuccherificio di Mezzano	Map
IT4070021	Italy	Biotopi di Alfonsine e Fiume Reno	Map
IT5120017	Italy	Lago e Padule di Massacciuccoli	Map
IT5140011	Italy	Stagni della Piana Fiorentina e Pratese	Map
IT5170002	Italy	Selva Pisana	Map
IT51A0013	Italy	Padule della Trappola, Bocca d'Ombrone	Map
IT51A0033	Italy	Lago di Burano	Map
IT5340001	Italy	Litorale di Porto d'Ascoli	Map
IT6040015	Italy	Parco Nazionale del Circeo	Map
IT8010018	Italy	Variconi	Map
IT8030012	Italy	Isola di Vivara	Map
IT8050037	Italy	Parco marino di Punta degli Infreschi	Map
IT9140003	Italy	Stagni e Saline di Punta della Contessa	Map
IT9150015	Italy	Litorale di Gallipoli e Isola S. Andrea	Map
IT9220055	Italy	Bosco Pantano di Policoro e Costa Ionica Foce Sinni	Map
IT9220144	Italy	Lago S. Giuliano e Timmari	Map
ITA010001	Italy	Isole dello Stagnone di Marsala	Map
ITA010006	Italy	Paludi di Capo Feto e Margi Spanò	Map
ITA010007	Italy	Saline di Trapani	Map
ITA010021	Italy	Saline di Marsala	Map
ITA020010	Italy	Isola di Ustica	Map
ITA050001	Italy	Biviere e Macconi di Gela	Map
ITA060002	Italy	Lago di Pergusa	Map
ITA070001	Italy	Foce del Fiume Simeto e Lago Gornalunga	Map
ITA090002	Italy	Vendicari	Map
ITA090003	Italy	Pantani della Sicilia sud orientale	Map
ITA090006	Italy	Saline di Siracusa e Fiume Ciane	Map
ITA090013	Italy	Saline di Priolo	Map
ITA090014	Italy	Saline di Augusta	Map
ITB034001	Italy	Stagno di S'Ena Arrubia	Map
ITB034004	Italy	Corru S'Ittiri, stagno di S. Giovanni e Marceddì	Map
ITB034005	Italy	Stagno di Pauli Majori	Map
ITB034006	Italy	Stagno di Mistras	Map
ITB034007	Italy	Stagno di Sale E' Porcus	Map
ITB044002	Italy	Saline di Molentargius	Map
ITB044003	Italy	Stagno di Cagliari	Map
PTZPE0010	Portugal	Estuário do Tejo	Map
PTZPE0013	Portugal	Lagoa de Santo André	Map
PTZPE0018	Portugal	Sapais de Castro Marim	Map
IT8050010	Italy	Fasce litoranee a destra e a sinistra del Fiume Sele	Map
ITB012211	Italy	Isola Rossa - Costa Paradiso	Map
ES4250010	Spain	Humedales de La Mancha	Map
ES4310028	Spain	Río Matachel	Map
ITA010028	Italy	Stagnone di Marsala e Saline di Trapani - area marina e terrestre	Map
ES6200006	Spain	Espacios Abiertos e Islas del Mar Menor	Map
ITB030033	Italy	Stagno di Pauli Maiori di Oristano	Map
BG0000270	Bulgaria	Atanasovsko ezero	Map
IT9320095	Italy	Foce Neto	Map
ITA090029	Italy	Pantani della Sicilia sud-orientale, Morghella, di Marzamemi, di Punta Pilieri e Vendicari	Map
ES4310010	Spain	La Serena	Map
ES2430085	Spain	Laguna de Plantados y Laguna de Agón	Map
FR9312015	France	Étangs entre Istres et Fos	Map
IT3341002	Italy	Aree Carsiche della Venezia Giulia	Map
ITA050012	Italy	Torre Manfria, Biviere e Piana di Gela	Map
FR7212014	France	Estuaire de la Gironde : marais du Blayais	Map
BG0002046	Bulgaria	Yatata	Map
IT3250046	Italy	Laguna di Venezia	Map
ES6200001	Spain	Calblanque, Monte de las Cenizas y Peña del Águila	Map
ES4210004	Spain	Lagunas saladas de Pétrola y Salobrejo y complejo lagunar de Corral Rubio	Map
IT9330087	Italy	Lago La Vota	Map
FR9112013	France	Petite Camargue laguno-marine	Map
IT8030018	Italy	Lago di Patria	Map
IT8010028	Italy	Foce Volturno - Variconi	Map
ES4250009	Spain	Yesares del valle del Tajo	Map
BG0002041	Bulgaria	Kompleks Ropotamo	Map
IT9110037	Italy	Laghi di Lesina e Varano	Map
ITB042223	Italy	Stagno di Santa Caterina	Map
IT9110005	Italy	Zone umide della Capitanata	Map
IT9310047	Italy	Fiumara Trionto	Map
ES3110006	Spain	Vegas, cuestas y páramos del sureste de Madrid	Map
ITA070025	Italy	Tratto di Pietralunga del Fiume Simeto	Map
ITB042226	Italy	Stagno di Porto Botte	Map
IT4020024	Italy	San Genesio	Map
ES2430041	Spain	Complejo Lagunar de La Salada de Chiprana	Map
BG0002030	Bulgaria	Kompleks Kalimok	Map
IT8010029	Italy	Fiume Garigliano	Map
ITA070029	Italy	Biviere di Lentini, tratto mediano e foce del Fiume Simeto e area antistante la foce	Map
CY3000005	Cyprus	KAVO GKREKO	Map
IT8050049	Italy	Fiumi Tanagro e Sele	Map
ES6150021	Spain	Corredor Ecológico del Río Tinto	Map
ES6130015	Spain	Río Guadalquivir -Tramo Medio	Map
ES4310027	Spain	Río Guadiana Internacional	Map
ES6140013	Spain	Acantilados y Fondos Marinos Tesorillo-Salobreña	Map
IT9320302	Italy	Marchesato e Fiume Neto	Map
IT8030009	Italy	Foce di Licola	Map
FR9312025	France	Basse Vallée du Var	Map
ITA050011	Italy	Torre Manfria	Map
ITB030016	Italy	Stagno di S'Ena Arrubia e territori limitrofi	Map
IT9310044	Italy	Foce del Fiume Crati	Map
ES6150014	Spain	Marismas y Riberas del Tinto	Map
FR7212013	France	Estuaire de la Bidassoa et baie de Fontarabie	Map
IT9220090	Italy	Costa Ionica Foce Bradano	Map
ITB030032	Italy	Stagno di Corru S'Ittiri	Map
IT3340006	Italy	Carso Triestino e Goriziano	Map
ES4320016	Spain	Río Aljucen Alto	Map
BG0000273	Bulgaria	Burgasko ezero	Map
ITB040023	Italy	Stagno di Cagliari, Saline di Macchiareddu, Laguna di Santa Gilla	Map
ITB030037	Italy	Stagno di Santa Giusta	Map
ES5110020	Spain	Costes del Garraf	Map
ITB040028	Italy	Punta S'Aliga	Map
ITB040022	Italy	Stagno di Molentargius e territori limitrofi	Map
ITB030034	Italy	Stagno di Mistras di Oristano	Map
IT9130006	Italy	Pinete dell'Arco Ionico	Map
FR9112017	France	Étang de Mauguio	Map
IT9110038	Italy	Paludi presso il Golfo di Manfredonia	Map
ES6200005	Spain	Humedal del Ajauque y Rambla Salada	Map
IT6030023	Italy	Macchia Grande di Focene e Macchia dello Stagneto	Map
ES6150019	Spain	Bajo Guadalquivir	Map
ES2430043	Spain	Laguna de Gallocanta	Map
IT9310052	Italy	Casoni di Sibari	Map
IT9350143	Italy	Saline Joniche	Map
ITB040018	Italy	Foce del Flumendosa - Sa Praia	Map
ES6200007	Spain	Islas e Islotes del Litoral Mediterráneo	Map
ES4310017	Spain	Río Aljucén Bajo	Map
BG0002095	Bulgaria	Gorni Dabnik - Telish	Map
ITB030035	Italy	Stagno di Sale 'e Porcus	Map
FR5212008	France	Grande Brière, marais de Donges et du Brivet	Map
BG0000152	Bulgaria	Pomoriysko ezero	Map
ROSPA0076	Romania	Marea Neagră	Map
ROSPA0060	Romania	Lacurile Tașaul - Corbu	Map
ROSPA0097	Romania	Pescăria Cefa - Pădurea Rădvani	Map
ROSPA0031	Romania	Delta Dunării și Complexul Razim - Sinoie	Map
ROSPA0071	Romania	Lunca Siretului Inferior	Map
BG0002050	Bulgaria	Durankulashko ezero	Map
BG0002043	Bulgaria	Emine	Map
BG0000156	Bulgaria	Shablenski ezeren kompleks	Map
BG0000271	Bulgaria	Mandra - Poda	Map
BG0002045	Bulgaria	Kompleks Kamchia	Map
BG0002060	Bulgaria	Galata	Map
PLB160004	Poland	Zbiornik Turawa	Map
FR9112035	France	Côte languedocienne	Map
ES0000451	Spain	Montdúver-Marjal de la Safor	Map
ES0000450	Spain	Marjal i Estanys d'Almenara	Map
ES0000470	Spain	Marjal dels Moros (ZEPA)	Map
ES0000471	Spain	l'Albufera (ZEPA)	Map
ES0000467	Spain	Prat de Cabanes i Torreblanca (ZEPA)	Map
ES6180017	Spain	Campiñas de Sevilla	Map
ES0000462	Spain	Clot de Galvany	Map
ES4310003	Spain	Complejo Lagunar de la Albuera	Map
PTZPE0055	Portugal	Évora	Map
UKGIB0002	United Kingdom	Southern Waters of Gibraltar	Map
CY6000010	Cyprus	ZONI EIDIKIS PROSTASIAS LIMNI OROKLINIS	Map
CY4000018	Cyprus	EKBOLES POTAMON EZOUSAS, XEROU, KAI DIARIZOU	Map
CY6000011	Cyprus	LIMNI OROKLINIS	Map
FR7212018	France	Bassin d'Arcachon et banc d'Arguin	Map
ES1200055	Spain	Cabo Busto-Luanco	Map
ES0000484	Spain	el Fondo d'Elx-Crevillent (ZEPA)	Map
ES0000487	Spain	Marjal de Pego-Oliva (ZEPA)	Map
ES0000486	Spain	Salines de Santa Pola (ZEPA)	Map
ES0000485	Spain	Lagunas de la Mata y Torrevieja (ZEPA)	Map
IT51A0039	Italy	Padule della Trappola, Bocca d'Ombrone	Map
ES0000512	Spain	Espacio marino del Delta de l'Ebre-Illes Columbretes	Map
ES0000508	Spain	Espacio marino de Tabarca-Cabo de Palos	Map
ES0000506	Spain	Bahía de Almería	Map
ES0000537	Spain	Lagunas de Campotejar	Map
CY3000002	Cyprus	SPA KAVO GKREKO	Map
IT9120012	Italy	Scoglio dell'Eremita	Map

Protected sites

Please note the site map takes a while to display.

Legal status

Mentioned in the following international legal instruments and agreements

Legal text	Annex	More information
Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 30 November 2009, on the conservation of wild birds (EU Birds Directive)	Annex I: Species that shall be the subject of special conservation measures concerning their habitat in order to ensure their survival and reproduction in their area of distribution. Member States shall classify territories as special protection areas for the conservation of these species. (Sterna nilotica)	http://ec.europa.eu/environm...rective/index_en.htm
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats (Bern Convention)	Annex II: strictly protected fauna species	http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cul.../bern/default_en.asp
	Revised Annex I of Resolution 6 (1998) of the Bern Convention listing the species requiring specific habitat conservation measures (year of revision 2011)	https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc....ckColorLogged=FDC864 Resolution No. 6 (1998) of the Bern Convention lists the species requiring specific habitat conservation measures [and the designation of Areas of Special Conservation Interest (ASCIs) forming for the Emerald network]
Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds. Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals. (AEWA)	Annex II: Waterbird species to which the Agreement applies	http://www.migratoryspecies....ent/about-cms-family http://www.unep-aewa.org/en/legalinstrument/aewa
Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area (Helsinki Convention)	Threatened and/or declining species in the Baltic Sea	http://www.helcom.fi/action-areas/species-and-habitats

Common names and synonyms

Common Name	Language	Reference
Gaivina-de-bico preto	Portuguese	EC-DGXI.d2, ETC/NC
Gaivina-de-bico-preto	Portuguese	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Gull-billed Tern	English	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Hietatiira	Finnish	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Kacagócsér	Hungarian	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Lachseeschwalbe	German	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Lachstern	Dutch	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Pagaza Piconegra	Spanish	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Rondine di mare zampenere	Italian	EC-DGXI.d2, ETC/NC
Rybitwa krótkodzioba	Polish	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Sandtärna	Swedish	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Sandterne	Danish	EC-DGXI.d2, ETC/NC
Sterna zampenere	Italian	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Sterne hansel	French	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.

Synonym	Author
Sterna nilotica

Other resources

EBCC Atlas of breeding birds	European Bird Census Council's Atlas of Breeding Birds
EURing code:06050	European bird-ringing
Fauna Europaea	Fauna Europaea
GBIF search	Global Biodiversity Information Facility
ITIS (Valid name)	Interagency Taxonomic Information System
NCBI search	National Center for Biotechnology Information
PESI (Accepted)	Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure
Wikipedia	Wikipedia

External data

No external data sets available for this species

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