Least Tern

Sternula antillarum Lesson, RP, 1847

46 gWeight

The least tern (Sternula antillarum) is a species of tern that breeds in North America and locally in northern South America.

Busiest months: May · Most records: United States, Mexico, Cayman Islands

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: May · Most records: United States, Mexico, Cayman Islands

Least Tern has been recorded at 602 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 51 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Parker River NWRUnited States10,698 records
Cape Island – South Cape May MeadowsUnited States8,690 records
Fort De Soto ParkUnited States6,254 records

More places

Cape Island – Cape May Point SPUnited States5,649 records
Edwin B. Forsythe NWRUnited States5,616 records
Bolivar Flats Shorebird SanctuaryUnited States5,569 records
Milford Point, CT AudubonUnited States4,817 records
Rollover PassUnited States3,735 records
South Padre Is. – WBC/Conv. Center/Laguna Madre TrailUnited States3,705 records
Edwin B. Forsythe NWR – Wildlife DriveUnited States3,674 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United States Mexico Cayman Islands Puerto Rico Caribbean Netherlands Curaçao Guadeloupe U.S. Virgin Islands

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The least tern (Sternula antillarum) is a species of tern that breeds in North America and locally in northern South America. It is closely related to, and was formerly often considered conspecific with, the little tern of the Old World. Other close relatives include the yellow-billed tern and Peruvian tern, both from South America.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Least Tern?

The Least Tern weighs around 46 g.

Where does the Least Tern live?

Its breeding range: North America, Middle America: Great Plains to Texas and northern Louisiana; central California and Gulf of California coasts to Oaxaca (western Mexico), El Salvador and Nicaragua; western North Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea from Bahamas to Lesser Antilles, islands off Yucatan Peninsula, Belize and northern Honduras, and islands north of Venezuela. It is most often recorded in United States, Mexico and Cayman Islands.

When is the best time to see the Least Tern?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in May (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Least Tern endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Least Tern as Least Concern.

What does the Least Tern eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Least Tern in?

It belongs to the family Gulls, Terns, Skimmers (Laridae), order Charadriiformes.

At a glance

Weight: 46 g
Habitat: Ocean
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Feeds in the air
Migration: Migratory
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 165 mm
Tail: 78 mm
Bill: 30 mm
Tarsus: 15 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America, Middle America: Great Plains to Texas and northern Louisiana; central California and Gulf of California coasts to Oaxaca (western Mexico), El Salvador and Nicaragua; western North Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea from Bahamas to Lesser Antilles, islands off Yucatan Peninsula, Belize and northern Honduras, and islands north of Venezuela

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2