What does the California least tern eat?

Where does the interior least tern live?

Interior Least Tern ( athalassos) breeds in inland North America, primarily along the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Two less well-known subspecies, mexicana and staebleri, occur from the Gulf of California to Chiapas, Mexico.

Are there different types of terns in North America?

Interior Least Tern ( athalassos) breeds in inland North America, primarily along the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Two less well-known subspecies, mexicana and staebleri, occur from the Gulf of California to Chiapas, Mexico. Thursday p.m.:

What does the interior least tern do during breeding season?

Activities of the Interior Least Tern during the breeding season are limited to the portion of river near the nesting site. Nesting adults defend an area surrounding the nest (territory) against intruders, and terns within a colony will defend any nest within that colony.

What does a tern bird look like when it leaves the nest?

Fledglings (young birds that have left the nest) are grayish brown and buff colored, with white heads, dark bills and eye stripes, and stubby tails. Young terns acquire adult plumage after their first molt at about 1 year, but do not breed until they are 2 to 3 years old.

What are the characteristics of Least terns?

Least terns have long pointed wings and a deeply forked tail. Other physical characteristics include a yellow beak, gray back, white belly, and black cap.

Are terns endangered in the United States?

The endangered Interior Least Tern (Sterna antillarum athalassos) breeds inland along the Missouri, Mississippi, Colorado, Arkansas, Red, and Rio Grande River systems. Although these subspecies are generally recognized, recent evidence indicates that terns hatched on the Texas coast sometimes breed inland.

What are the behaviors of a least tern?

Courtship behaviors also include nest preparation and a variety of postures and vocalizations. Least Terns nest in colonies, where nests can be as close as 10 feet but are often 30 feet or more apart. The nest is a shallow depression in an open, sandy area, gravelly patch, or exposed flat.

Where do least terns nest?

Interior Least Tern ( Sterna antillarum athalassos) Shallow water areas of lakes, ponds, and rivers located close to nesting areas are preferred. As natural nesting sites have become scarce, the birds have used sand and gravel pits, ash disposal areas of power plants, reservoir shorelines, and other manmade sites.

What are the characteristics of a least tern?

The legs are orange. Least Terns dart over waterways, usually close to shore, diving for fish or other small prey. Males bring small fish to females for courtship feeding during much of the nesting season. Flight is strong and direct, on stiff, jerky, rapid wingbeats.

What is the average size of a tern?

Terns are medium to large seabirds – the smallest tern being the Least Tern, weighing 1.5 oz (42 g) and measuring 9 inches (23 cm), to the largest — the Caspian Tern, weighing 1.4 lbs (630 g) and measuring 21 inches (53 cm). They are lighter bodied and more streamlined than gulls.

Why is the least tern an endangered species?

Before being protected as endangered in 1985, the number of interior least terns had plummeted below 2,000 birds. This was caused by changes to river systems from dams, dikes, reservoirs and water diversions, which eliminated most historic least tern nesting habitat.

Why is the least tern just below the sand?

A least tern lying just below the surface of the sand is probably on its nest. The nests are very shallow and minimally scooped out. The least tern hunts primarily in shallow estuaries and lagoons, where smaller fishes are abundant. It hovers until spotting prey, and then plunges into the water without full submersion to extract meal.

What do terns do in the ocean?

This smallest of the world’s terns is a noisy presence around its breeding colonies and in coastal waters or broad inland rivers. They fly with jerky wingbeats, hover briefly as they take aim, and then dive into the water to catch small fish. Breeding males often bring these fish back to feed their mates, leading to graceful aerial displays.

Where do least terns lay eggs?

Least Terns are beach breeders, generally nesting in a scrape of sand or pebbles just above the high tide line. On warm days, tern moms will stand over eggs and hatchlings to shade them from the sun. On hot days, they’ll soak their belly feathers in the ocean and return to the beach to give their broods a cool sponge bath.

What are the Predators of the least terns?

Listed as federally endangered since the 1970s, the number of birds has gradually increased due to conservation efforts. California least terns are also protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty. Their predators include larger birds, raccoons, foxes, and domestic dogs and cats.

Do terns nest in pairs?

Pairs do not tolerate their neighbors encroaching on them. Most Terns nest on cliffs or islands, and do not build any type of nest. The female lays between one and three eggs per clutch, and incubation varies between three weeks and a month long.

Why are there so many least terns in Mississippi?

The Lower Mississippi River hosts the largest numbers of interior least terns, due in large part to a more naturally functioning river system and periodic flooding. Large floods improve and restore sandbars used by terns as nesting habitat, support high production of fish eaten by terns and flood out mammalian predators of terns.

What is the difference between a tern and a little tern?

The sexes are similar and immature birds are similar to non-breeding adults with upper wings and back mottled grey and brown. The Little Tern is also known as the Black-lored Tern, the Sea Swallow, or the White-shafted Ternlet.

What is the name of the little terns?

The Little Tern is also known as the Black-lored Tern, the Sea Swallow, or the White-shafted Ternlet. The Little Tern and the Fairy Tern, S. nereis, are the two smallest terns in Australia.

Is there a common tern in NZ?

The name ‘common tern’ is a misnomer in New Zealand as this species is a very rare vagrant here. It is similar in appearance to some other tern species, particularly the white-fronted tern, and so is very hard to identify. The common tern was first positively identified in New Zealand only in 1984.

What predators do least terns have?

Least terns are colony nesters, meaning they nest in a group, which allows them to exchange information about food sources, as well as to detect and mob predators. An entire colony can be easily destroyed by predation by red foxes, raccoons, dogs and house cats, by human trampling, or by catastrophic storms.

Why are tern species declining?

Most tern species are declining in numbers due to the loss or disturbance of breeding habitat, pollution and increased predation.