Lesser Noddy

Anous tenuirostris (Temminck, 1823)

112 gWeight

The lesser noddy (Anous tenuirostris), also known as the sooty noddy, is a seabird in the family Laridae.

Busiest months: October · Most records: Seychelles, India, British Indian Ocean Territory

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Lesser Noddy has been recorded at 30 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 10 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

ArideSeychelles211 records
Cousin Island NRSeychelles179 records
Pulicat Lake – [TN Section]India125 records

More places

Diego GarciaBritish Indian Ocean Territory108 records
Bird IslandSeychelles100 records
Olaiththoduvai Watching PointSri Lanka36 records
Veuve NRSeychelles23 records
Grand AnseSeychelles22 records
Flic en FlacMauritius13 records
Egmont IslandsBritish Indian Ocean Territory9 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Seychelles India British Indian Ocean Territory Sri Lanka Mauritius Maldives Bangladesh Réunion

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 lesser noddy (Anous tenuirostris), also known as the sooty noddy, is a seabird in the family Laridae. It is found near the coastlines of Comoros, Kenya, India, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Somalia, Sri Lanka and United Arab Emirates.

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

Questions

How big is the Lesser Noddy?

The Lesser Noddy weighs around 112 g.

Where does the Lesser Noddy live?

Its breeding range: Indian Ocean: tropical and subtropical Indian Ocean islands from Seychelles and Mascarenes to Chagos and Maldives (west-central Indian Ocean) and Houtman Abrolhos Islands (west of Western Australia, western Australia) and Ashmore Reef (northwest of Australia; race?). It is most often recorded in Seychelles, India and British Indian Ocean Territory.

When is the best time to see the Lesser Noddy?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Lesser Noddy endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Lesser Noddy as Least Concern.

What does the Lesser Noddy eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Lesser Noddy in?

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

At a glance

Weight: 112 g
Habitat: Ocean
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: Feeds in the air
Migration: Partial migrant
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 212 mm
Tail: 105 mm
Bill: 47 mm
Tarsus: 21 mm

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

Range

Indian Ocean: tropical and subtropical Indian Ocean islands from Seychelles and Mascarenes to Chagos and Maldives (west-central Indian Ocean) and Houtman Abrolhos Islands (west of Western Australia, western Australia) and Ashmore Reef (northwest of Australia; race?)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2