Page 219 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

SKUAS, GULLS,AND TERNS
Order Charadriiformes Family Sternidae Species Sterna albifrons
Little Tern black stripe white

streaky crown through eye forehead
blackish streak black
at wingtips dark chevrons cap
on back
blackish
bill black
short, nape sharp
white yellow bill
forked ADULT pale grey with tiny
tail (SUMMER) dark tip
back
IN FLIGHT
JUVENILE

white forehead
orange to
yellow legs
pure white ADULT ADULT
underside (SUMMER) (SUMMER)
mall,quick,nervous,and now rare,the Little Tern is a lively coastal
Sbird; it is rare inland but seen along most coasts. Its pale colours FLIGHT: quick, flickering wingbeats; hovers briefly
and small size are usually obvious at first glance,especially in flight. with very quick whirring beats.
At its nesting colonies,it is noisy and TINY TERNS
aggressive to intruders but easily disturbed Little Terns are smaller and whiter
– most colonies are on popular beaches than Common Terns which do not
and now succeed only if specially have white foreheads all year round.
protected. Climate change, causing a rise
in the sea level, also threatens this bird,
which often nests right at the edge of
the sea and risks losing eggs and chicks
to high tides.
VOICE Sharp, high, rapid chattering kirri-kirri-kirri and kitititit.
NESTING Shallow scoop on sand or shingle beach;2 or 3 eggs;1 brood;May–June.
FEEDING Plunges for fish after a brief, whirring hover, fast but light with quick
“smack” into water, often near beach.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds on narrow sand and
SANDWICH TERN larger and ARCTIC TERN shingle beaches, very locally south
see p.218 see p.221
longer greyer from Baltic, thriving only where
much larger black bill larger and protected; also inland in S Spain
longer greyer
wings and Portugal and E Europe. Mostly
coastal migrant in spring and
red legs autumn, rare inland.
black longer
legs COMMON TERN tail Seen in the UK
slower; see p.220 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 22–24cm (9–9 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 48–55cm (19–22in) Weight 50–65g (1 3 ⁄4 –2 3 ⁄8oz)
Social Small flocks Lifespan Up to 10 years Status Declining
217