Common Tern (Sterna hirundo), c. 1970–1980 • Country of origin: Europe • Date of manufacture: 1960–1970 • Dimensions: Height 21 cm, width 33 cm • Base: Yes, wooden (typical for taxidermy of the period) • Condition: Good, natural coloring preserved, details of wings and feathers visible • Other: This is a high-quality stuffed common tern, representing the natural history collecting tradition of the late 20th century. The common tern, a graceful and elegant water bird, is an excellent fit for a collection of natural history curiosities and taxidermy. The common tern is known as one of the world's longest migratory birds - it can fly up to 70,000 km per year. This makes it a symbol of freedom, migration and the cycle of nature. As a taxidermied specimen, the tern represents a 20th-century natural history tradition in which animals were preserved as scientific specimens and museum objects.