Least Tern Sterna antillarum By: Heather Scientific Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Charadriformes Family: Laridae Genus: Sterna Species: antillarum

Least terns were gathered by the thousands in the 1800's from the Atlantic coast so their feathers were used as decorations on hats, only to decrease the number of least terns. No longer can you hunt the least tern.  The least tern is on the endangered species list, and the threatened species list.

They have been known to nest on gravel roof tops. The flooding of nesting sites caused by reservoir and dam construction contributes to the decline of the least tern's natural habitat. People often disrupt breeding attempts either by harvesting eggs, destroying nests killing eggs or chicks by stepping on them or by running them over. The parents stay with their babies until fall migration. In the late summer before migrating south, adults and their babies gather at fishing sites along near waterways. Then they move south in small, loose groups and follow major rivers and coasts. And eat along the way usually leaving breeding grounds. Even though the birds' winter is over some fly back and others stay.

Habitat

The least tern is found on the Pacific coast and the Gulf coasts and on the sides of large rivers in central United States. Their nests are shallow scrapes in the sand, soil and gravel,and sometimes under low bushes. The wintering habitat of the Least tern are not really known. Further research is needed in other areas including determination of the population trends and specific habitat requirements.

Present Status

My animal is endangered the US list. It is also on the Maine threatened list.

Physical Description

The least tern can get up to 8.5 inches long. Their wingspan is 20 inches. Their sexes are similar which means the males and females look alike. They are short and slender, and have a pointed bill. They have very short legs a short forked tail, smoothly rounded head without a crest, and they are pale under their wings with blurry primaries along the leading edge of the wing. They dive into water for prey.

The adult has yellow legs, a yellow bill with a black tip, black cap with a white forehead patch before their eye, and a white face, foreneck, breast and belly. They have a pale gray rump and tail, an entirely gray back and upper wing, with dark outer primaries. The adult has a black bill with forehead, face, foreneck breast, and belly, black cap mottled with white, entirely gray back and upper wing with dark outer two primaries. Also their wings are gray with brown
Juveniles have pale orange legs. At first their bills are pink but as they get older their bills turn black. They also have a white forehead, foreneck, breast and belly. The juvenile also has a white eye patch, and a pale crown streaked with brown and black. They also have a dark carpal bar. Also their wings are gray with brown tips.

Diet And Feeding

Least terns eat mostly fish but they also eat crustaceans and insects. They eat in shallow water and hover very close to shore, longer than any other tern, then they plunge to the surface to capture their prey. Then they plunge to the surface without dropping their prey.

Causes of Animal’s Present Status

The reason my animal is endangered is because back in the 1800's, least terns were gathered by the thousands from the Atlantic coast. Because their feathers could be used as decorations on hats, this also led to the decreased numbers of the least terns. No longer can you hunt the least terns.

Personal Essay

I think that we should respect the environment and the animals because if all the animals die we wouldn’t have any meat or pets and we would have less oxygen to breathe because we are cutting down the trees. 

I have discovered that we should appreciate the animals and the plants. We can also help animals that are endangered or threatened by encouraging them to so there will be more. My bird is on the endangered species list and if we didn’t have my bird there would be more bugs than there are now and that means spending more money on bug spray and the bug spray might get in trees, plants, or the water that my bird eats or drinks.

My bird lives near the water where people go and that I think that is what is killing them more. Because when the adults are gone and they leave their eggs or babies alone, they get stepped on. So I think that people should watch where they walk.

Bibliography

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Northern Wildlife