Least Tern - Sterna antillarum

The Least Tern is a small tern that breeds in North America and winters in Mexico to northern South America. While the IUCN lists their status as 'Least Concern', the Least Tern is a small Tern that is considered 'Threatened' in California. One of the places they breed is on the old Alameda Naval station in Alameda, CA that has a fenced area to help protect them. If you volunteer to help watch for predators, you can watch the little terns grow up and fledge. The white patch or chevron between their eyes is a distinctive field marker.

Juvenile

06/30/2010 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA 06/30/2010 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA	06/30/2010 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA 06/30/2010 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA	06/30/2009 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA 06/30/2009 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA
Fledgling outside breeding colony 07/02/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA Fledgling outside breeding colony 07/02/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA	Chick with adult 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA Chick with adult 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA	Fledgling 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA Fledgling 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA
Fledgling 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA Fledgling 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA	Fledgling 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA Fledgling 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA	Fledgling or soon-to-be 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA Fledgling or soon-to-be 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA
Sitting down on some eggs 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA Sitting down on some eggs 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA	14+days old 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA 14+days old 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA	Least Tern Eggs 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA Least Tern Eggs 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA

Breeding (March-Aug)

06/30/2010 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA 06/30/2010 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA	Courting behavior 06/30/2009 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA Courting behavior 06/30/2009 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA	05/08/2010 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA 05/08/2010 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA
05/08/2010 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA 05/08/2010 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA	04/16/2013 - Rollover Pass, Bolivar Peninsula, TX 04/16/2013 - Rollover Pass, Bolivar Peninsula, TX	Bolivar Peninsula is a good place in Texas for Least Terns 04/16/2013 - Bolivar Pass, Texas Bolivar Peninsula is a good place in Texas for Least Terns 04/16/2013 - Bolivar Pass, Texas
08/13/2007 - Middle Harbor Park; Oakland, CA 08/13/2007 - Middle Harbor Park; Oakland, CA	05/22/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA 05/22/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA	Courting behavior 05/22/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA Courting behavior 05/22/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA
Very odd position, looks like he is scratching himself in the air 05/22/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA Very odd position, looks like he is scratching himself in the air 05/22/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA	Ready for take off 06/25/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA Ready for take off 06/25/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA	07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA
Note the gash on the fish 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA Note the gash on the fish 07/07/2008 - Alameda Naval Station, Alameda, CA	04/09/2011 - Fort Travis, Bolivar Peninsula, TX 04/09/2011 - Fort Travis, Bolivar Peninsula, TX	04/09/2011 - San Luis Pass, Galveston Island, TX 04/09/2011 - San Luis Pass, Galveston Island, TX
04/09/2011 - San Luis Pass, Galveston Island, TX 04/09/2011 - San Luis Pass, Galveston Island, TX	04/09/2011 - San Luis Pass, Galveston Island, TX 04/09/2011 - San Luis Pass, Galveston Island, TX

Top of Page