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Fairy tern
The name fairy tern can also refer to the white tern (Gygis alba)

The fairy tern (Sternula nereis) is a small tern which is native to the southwestern Pacific. It is listed as " Vulnerable" by the IUCN and the New Zealand subspecies is " Critically Endangered".

There are three subspecies:

  • Australian fairy tern, Sternula nereis nereis ( Gould, 1843) – breeds in Australia
  • New Caledonian fairy tern, Sternula nereis exsul ( Mathews, 1912) – breeds in New Caledonia
  • New Zealand fairy tern, Sternula nereis davisae ( Mathews & Iredale, 1913) – breeds in northern New Zealand