Terns (Sternidae)
Least Tern (Sterna antillarum)
French: Petite Sterne German: Amerikanische Zwergseeschwalbe Spanish: Charrancito Americano
Taxonomy:
Sternula antillarum Lesson, 1847, Guadeloupe, Lesser Antilles.
Forms superspecies with S. albifrons, S. saundersi, S. superciliaris and S. lorata. Long considered a race of S. albifrons, but recently separated mainly on basis of voice. Currently accepted polytypic arrangement disputed by findings of morphometric and biochemical analyses. Proposed form mexicana for birds of Pacific coast of Mexico is not separable. Three subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- browni Mearns, 1916 - C California (San Francisco Bay) to Baja California and W Mexico; winters mostly in Central America.
- athalassos Burleigh & Lowery, 1942 - inland rivers in C North America, from N Great Plains to N Louisiana and Texas; winters to N Brazil.
- antillarum (Lesson, 1847) - Bermuda, and Maine S to Texas (including lower Rio Grande Valley) and Honduras, and on through Caribbean to N Venezuela; winters to N Brazil.
- Least Concern
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An adult standing on the sand California, USA (browni)
Don DesJardin 30 June 2006 2 years ago 12 sec 4.7 -
An adult incubating and its mate replacing it California, USA (browni)
Don DesJardin 30 June 2006 2 years ago 13 sec 4.6 -
Two birds on a beach, near the nest site Cape May, New Jersey, USA (antillarum)
Robert Schaefer 17 May 2006 2 years ago 14 sec 4.4 -
An adult walking to the nest and then incubating California, USA (browni)
Don DesJardin 30 June 2006 2 years ago 16 sec 3.9
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Adult breeding Caimare Chico, Zulia, Venezuela
kperezleon 19 April 2009 42 weeks ago 4 -
Ventral view of flying bird in adult plumage Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda (antillarum)
Mikko Pyhälä 7 June 2009 33 weeks ago 3.7 -
A breeding adult on the beach. Morrocoy National Park, Falcón State, Venezuela
philgunson 27 June 2009 31 weeks ago 3 -
Lateral view of flying bird with fish in beak Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda (antillarum)
Mikko Pyhälä 7 June 2009 33 weeks ago 2.7 -
A bird standing on a sand Honeymoon Island State Park, Pinellas County, Florida, USA
Tadeusz Stawarczyk 14 May 2007 42 weeks ago 2
- No sound recordings available yet
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