Sterna forsteri Nuttall. Forster Tern. Transient, locally common in eastern half of state; status in west unknown.
No subspecies recognized.
Sterna hirundo. Common Tern. Rare transient. Two specimens: female, Anderson County, May 11, 1878 (in Goss collection); male, Munger's Lake, near Hamilton, Greenwood County, September 2, 1912, G. C. Rinker.
Subspecies in Kansas: S. h. hirundo Linnaeus.
* Sterna albifrons. Least Tern. Uncommon transient and local summer resident throughout state. One definite nesting record: five nests, each with two eggs, Arkansas River at Coolidge, Hamilton County, July 1, 1936, Otto Tiemeier.
Subspecies in Kansas: S. a. athalassos Burleigh and Lowery.
Hydroprogne caspia (Pallas). Caspian Tern. Uncommon transient throughout state. Many sight records but only one specimen: female (KU 17147), Douglas County, September 27, 1928, Harold Standing (skin and body skeleton of this tern saved; erroneously reported previously as two specimens).
No subspecies recognized.
Chlidonias niger. Black Tern. Common transient and, in north-central part, regular summer resident but no positive breeding record.
Subspecies in Kansas: C. n. surinamensis (Gmelin).