Sterna albifrons
The Little Tern is a slender, very small, migratory or partly migratory seabird. Grey plumage covers most of the body with the tips of the wings and the head beingpredominately black. The wings are very narrow and the tail is moderately long and deeply forked. The tip of the tail falls short of the wing tips at rest. During the breeding season, the legs, feet and bill change from black to yellow. Further, the heads of breeding birds have a black cap that contrasts with a white forehead. The Little Tern is very similar in size and shape to the Fairy Tern Sterna nereis. The species is very vocal. The usual flight call is a repetitive shrill high-pitched kik or kip or a high-pitched, slightly rasping, disyllabic gi-wick or kid-ik.
Not Threatened.
The Little Tern is a slender, very small, migratory or partly migratory seabird. Grey plumage covers most of the body with the tips of the wings and the head beingpredominately black. The wings are very narrow and the tail is moderately long and deeply forked. The tip of the tail falls short of the wing tips at rest. During the breeding season, the legs, feet and bill change from black to yellow. Further, the heads of breeding birds have a black cap that contrasts with a white forehead. The Little Tern is very similar in size and shape to the Fairy Tern Sterna nereis. The species is very vocal. The usual flight call is a repetitive shrill high-pitched kik or kip or a high-pitched, slightly rasping, disyllabic gi-wick or kid-ik.
Length 200-280mm Wingspan 450-550mm Tail 80-110mm Bill 26-32mm Tarsus 16-18mm Weight 50g
Taxonomy:
- Sterna albifrons Pallas, 1764, Netherlands. Forms nearly cosmopolitan superspecies with S. saundersi, S. antillarum, S. superciliaris, S. lorata and probably also S. balaenarum, all of which formerly placed in separate genus Sternula. Some works treat S. antillarum, and sometimes S. saundersi, as conspecific with S. albifrons. Validity of races innominata and placens questionable. Apparent hybridization with S. nereis in S Australia indicates close relationship; long-term study of relationships required. Six subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * albifrons Pallas, 1764 - Europe through W Asia E to Nepal, and presumably this race also in Kenya (breeding at L Turkana), and in W Indian Ocean (Seychelles and Comoro Is, where resident, but breeding not confirmed); winters on coasts from Africa E to W India. * guineae Bannerman, 1931 - Ghana to Gabon, with marginal population in Mauritania and Senegal which may be this race or nominate. * innominata Zarudny & Loudon, 1902 - islands in Persian Gulf. * pusilla Temminck, 1840 - NE India and Myanmar, islands off Sumatra and Java, and probably this race in Sri Lanka. * sinensis Gmelin, 1789 - SE Russia, China, Japan, SE Asia, Philippines and New Guinea; recent colonist to Micronesia (Saipan) E to Hawaii most likely this race, and possibly also some birds in Australia, New Britain and nearby waters; N populations mostly winter in Malaysia. * placens Gould, 1871 - E Australia and E Tasmania.
It is almost exclusively coastal with sheltered environments preferred. However, the species may also occur several kilometers from the sea in harbours, inlets and rivers. The Little Tern nests in small, scattered colonies on sandy beaches or shingle pits. These nesting sites are particularly vulnerable to human disturbance, predation and natural catastrophes.
Preferring small fish but also eating crustaceans, insects, annelids and molluscs . The species forages by plunging in the shallow water of channels and estuaries, and in the surf on beaches.
Both parents incubate a clutch of 1-3 eggs for a period of 17-22 days. The newly hatched young is also cared for by both parents during the fledging period of 17–19 days.