The Black-naped Tern (scientific name: Sterna sumatrana) is a slender white bird found in rocky islets near the Singapore coast. It was one of 34 bird species identified and named by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1822. Its species name sumatrana describes where Raffles collected the specimen from during his naturalist voyages, i.e., the Sumatran islands. It was featured on the S$1 notes of the “Bird Series” currency notes issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore between 1976 and 1984. It also appeared on the 15-cent stamps of a 1952 postage stamp series featuring singing birds, the first set of stamps featuring the flora and fauna of Singapore.

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