Coast and interior of South America, breeding from south-eastern Brazil and Uruguay to Patagonia, rarely to Santa Cruz, and in Chile (Aconcagua to Llanquihue).
 
Population
Estimated population is 1,000 - 10,000 (2010).
Snowy-crowned Tern (Sterna trudeaui) [XC22563]
by Fernando Medrano from Reserva Biol\u00f3gica do Mato Grande - Arroio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (call)
Snowy-crowned Tern (Sterna trudeaui) [XC296143]
by GABRIEL LEITE from Arauco, Arauco, Regi\u00f3n del B\u00edo B\u00edo, Chile (call)