A few days ago I found my first Caspian Tern in Taylor County, the largest tern in the world. I’ve followed it up with Least Tern, the smallest tern in the world.*
So there are actually two additional small terns in the Old World: Little Tern and Saunder’s Tern. They’re closely related to Least Tern and were all once considered to be the same species. All are about eight inches in length, so my title should perhaps say “a three-way tie for smallest tern in the world…” But you’ll forgive me. This year is about Taylor County after all.
A Bird of Rivers and Coasts
Least Tern has an interesting range. They breed along the southern coasts, on the Atlantic and Gulf Coast, both sides of Mexico, and on the Pacific Coast of southern California. Additionally, they also breed inland along the major rivers like the Mississippi, the Arkansas, and the Missouri. The birds use sandy and gravel-lined surfaces, whether on beaches or sandbar islands in the middle of rivers.
Some terns can be tricky to identify, but Least Tern is pretty easy. For starters, the birds are incredibly small compared to other terns. I often find myself thinking, What’s this!? before I realize a split-second later it’s a tern. They’re the size of an American Robin but with much longer wings.
The bill is bright yellow (often with a black tip), a trait that is unique among North American terns. In breeding plumage, the cap is black, like other terns, but has a white forehead. The underside of the wings are mostly pale, with the outer two feathers being dark. Most of the other terns show more dark in the wing, either above or below.
Bottom line: the extremely small size and yellow bill are sure signs you’ve found a Least Tern.
A Bird That Needs Our Help
Unfortunately, human activity has not been kind to Least Terns. The interior population that nests along rivers has been particularly hard-hit by changes to river systems, from damming to dredging, and the population has declined sharply over the last half century. This subspecies is federally endangered and populations are estimated at 7,000 birds.
Coastal birds too have declined, though not as pronounced. The birds nest on the ground, laying their eggs in a shallow scrape directly on the sand. Here the biggest threats are human disturbance, from vehicles to beach goers to dogs. With just the smallest of efforts, humans can greatly aid Least Terns (and other sensitive species!) by roping off nesting areas and respecting the boundaries.
Our rivers and our beaches are richer, more interesting places with the wildlife that calls them home.
Hard to Find in Taylor County
Least Terns are hard to find inland in Texas. One reason is that the birds we see here belong the endangered inland population that has declined so much. We mostly see these birds as they migrate back to their nesting colonies on major rivers. It is possible though to get small numbers of nesting birds, perhaps only one or two pair. Here again, the birds need undisturbed areas of sandy or gravel-lined shores, a habitat in short supply. I have a record from July 1994 at Kirby Lake that might have been a nesting bird, though it’s also possible it was an early fall migrant.
Yesterday’s sighting marks my 4th in Taylor County in 27 years, though the birds are possible every year in very small numbers. Least Tern is a bird that was definitely on my radar for the Big Year, but one that I just needed a little luck to cross paths with. Lucky for me, the same storms that brought Hooded Warbler also convinced a few Least Terns to spend the day at Kirby Lake!