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Little Tern
(Sternula albifrons)
German name(s): "Zwergseeschwalbe"
Size: 21-25 cm; wing span: 41-47 cm
Weight: 50 g (average)
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Little Terns are small terns.
During the
breeding
season they have a black cap that extends well
onto the nape of the neck, white front (throat, neck, chest, belly
and vent) and grey wings. The black eyes are surrounded by a black
eye stripe, while the frons (base of the bill) is a white triangle
extending to above the eyes. The wings, which have black tips,
extend beyond the length of the tail when folded. The tail is forked.
The bill is yellow with a black tip, the short legs
and feet are also yellow.
In eclipse
the cap becomes white, leaving only a mottled grey semi-circle at
the nape of the neck. The bill turns black when
not breeding.
Juvenile
Little Terns have mottled grey caps and wings, with a black bill,
but yellow legs. Otherwise they resemble non-breeding
adults.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Little
Tern at Wikipedia .
Click here for classification information
The genus Sterna is now restricted to the large white terns.
The Little Tern has been put into the genus Sternula, together
with the Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) and Saunders's Tern
(Sternula saundersi).
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Little Tern is available
HERE
.
There are 3 extant races of Little Terns, which are a strongly
migratory species that breeds in sandy terrain, both along
coastlines and on sandbanks or islands of major rivers.
The breeding range of nominate race
"albifrons"
extends from
coastal Britain and central Europe, including the Baltic Sea,
into the Mediterranean and northern Africa. During the breeding
season they are found in large parts of inland eastern Europe,
mostly in the area to the North of the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.
They breed, for example, along the lower Danube river.
During their migration they can be found basically anywhere
along the coastlines of Europe from the southern Baltic Sea
to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea and,
farther South, the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.
They spend the northern winter in southern Africa.
Race "guineae" is found in western and central Africa.
Race
"sinensis" breeds in eastern Asia and winters (and also
breeds) in parts of South-east Asia and in Australia.
In Europe Little Terns are breeding migrants. Apart from coastal
areas, they can breed along major rivers and they also nest inland,
in the Dnjepr and Volga catchments. Except for the Norwegian
coastline (the West coast of Scandinavia), they are present,
either while breeding or on migration, along ALL coastlines,
including not only the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, but
also the Baltic Sea, the British Isles, the Mediterranean Sea,
the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.
Outside the breeding season Little Terns can be found in estuaries,
above coastal waters and on beaches.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "albifrons"
J. Pires
reports spotting Little Terns, nominate race
"albifrons",
semi-regularly in the Tejo estuary, Portugal, and also in Montargil,
Alentejo, Portugal, in July 2013.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this
page has kindly been contributed by J. Pires.
Race "sinensis"
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Photos |
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Race "albifrons"
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ADULT |
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BREEDING |
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Near-lateral view of a Little Tern in breeding
plumage
on the point of landing
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]
Near-lateral view of two Little Terns in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, July 2013]
Frontal view of a Little Tern in breeding
plumage
in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]
Near-frontal view of a Little Tern in breeding
plumage
in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, August 2019]
Lateral view of a Little Tern in breeding
plumage
in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]
Lateral view of a Little Tern in breeding
plumage
in flight, wings up
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]
Lateral view of a Little Tern in breeding
plumage
in flight, wings up
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]
Near-dorsal view of a Little Tern in breeding
plumage
in flight, wings up
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, May 2020]
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NON-BREEDING |
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Frontal view of a Little Tern in non-breeding
plumage
in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alcochete, Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2018]
Near-frontal view of a Little Tern in non-breeding
plumage
in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alcochete, Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2018]
Lateral view of a Little Tern in non-breeding
plumage
in flight, wings up
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alcochete, Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2018]
Lateral view of a Little Tern in non-breeding
plumage
in flight, wings down
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alcochete, Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2018]
Race "sinensis"
Photos of Little Terns, race
"sinensis", have been taken by us in
Australia.
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.