- Sternula albifrons
Sterna albifrons
Identification
L. 21-25 cm Ws. 41-47 cm. Non-breeding adult has dark bill, legs and feet, white lores and forecrown, blackish hindcrown with whitish streaks and black nape. Breeding adult has yellow bill with black tip, black crown, nape, eyestripe and well defined white forehead. Juvenile resembles non-breeding adult but has dark subterminal markings on mantle, scapulars, tertials and wing-coverts.
Variation
Subspecies sinensis has grey rump and uppertail.
Similar species
Distribution
Europe and Asia; strongly migratory.
Taxonomy
Little Tern is closely related to, and was formerly often considered conspecific with, Saunders's Tern, and with the Least Tern S. albifrons of the New World. Other close relatives include the Yellow-billed Tern S. superciliaris and Peruvian Tern S. lorata, both from South America. Like all these, it was formerly placed in the genus Sterna.
Subspecies
There are 6 subspecies[1]:
- S. a. albifrons:
- S. a. guineae:
- S. a. innominata:
- Islands in Persian Gulf
- S. a.pusilla:
- S. a. sinensis:
- South-eastern Russia to Japan, South-eastern Asia, Philippines and New Guinea
- S. a. placens:
Habitat
Sand, gravel or shingle coasts and islands. The nesting area will most often be located close to both the sea and to fresh water, but in southern areas also found near freshwater such as rivers.
Behaviour
Breeding
The 1 - 3 eggs are laid on the ground. The nest is a scrape in the ground, usually on a shingle beach. The pair take turns incubating the eggs which hatch after 18 to 21 days. Chicks start to fly after 8 to 14 days but are not fully fledged until they are 28 days old.
Little Terns are fiercely protective of the eggs and chicks and will follow and harass any perceived predator.
Diet
It plunge-dives for fish.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Sterna albifrons (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- Birdforum thread discussing id of Saunders' vs Little Tern
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Little Tern. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Little_Tern
External Links
