The Australian Tern is a medium-sized waterbird of Australia and New Guinea. It takes prey on land as well as around water and was recently separated from the Common Gull-billed Tern.
It is 33–42 cm long, with a pale body, a thick black bill, and long black legs. In breeding plumage, the black cap extends from the forehead to the nape.
Its diet includes terrestrial invertebrates such as insects, crustaceans, and worms, as well as small vertebrates. In July 2020, one bird was recorded flying with an adult Central Bearded Dragon at a lake in New South Wales.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.