The Little Tern 

 THE LITTLE TERN 



Sterna minuta, Linnaeus 



This is the smallest of our Terns and is a summer visitor, 

 breeding in fair numbers on shingle beaches round the coast 

 but becoming scarcer in the north. 



It may often be seen fishing in small parties at the tidal 

 mouth of some small stream, especially when the tide is 

 flowing. At such times it flies slowly towards the sea till 

 it sees a fish, when it stops, hovers for a moment, and then 

 drops on its prey, rising immediately from the water to re- 

 sume its search ; after progressing a short distance it will 

 wheel back and return to its starting-point. 



The eggs are laid on the bare sand or shingle without 

 any attempt at a nest ; they are usually three in number 

 and of a pale stone colour spotted with grey and brown. 

 The note is a sharp " kik." 



In summer the head and nape are black, except for the 

 forehead, which is white. Upper parts grey, tail and under 

 parts white. Bill yellow with a black tip. Legs orange. 



The young have the head white, streaked with blackish 

 brown, mantle grey with huffish tips, under parts white. 

 In their first autumn plumage they are very similar to the 

 young of the Sandwich Tern, the feathers of the back 

 being marked with black, brown, and white. Length 

 9 in. ; wing 6 '7 5 in. 



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