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Little/Least Tern
Sternula [albifrons or antillarum] (= Sternula albifrons) (Pallas, PS 1764)
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Charadriiformes
Family:
Laridae
Genus:
Sternula
Scientific:
Sternula albifrons
Classification
Order:Charadriiformes
Family:
Laridae
Genus:
Sternula
Scientific:
Sternula albifrons
Original description
Citation:
(Pallas, PS 1764)
Reference:
Adumbr., in Bered. Cat. Vog. Dier. [Vroeg]
Protonym:
Sterna albifrons
Type locality:
Maassche Land (Holland).
Avibase identifiers
Avibase ID:
4C64967043E1DC1E
Avibase ID:
avibase-4C649670
Short link:
https://avibase.ca/4C649670
Taxonomic Serial Number:
TSN: 824126
Geographic range:
- Sternula albifrons: breeds southwestern Europe and southwestern Russia, central Asia, Mongolia to southeastern Russia, Japan, eastern China, Taiwan and Vietnam; northern and western Africa; Persian Gulf and Iraq to Indus Valley (Pakistan) and Gangetic Plain (north-central India); Sri Lanka; Gulf of Thailand, Malay Peninsula, Singapore, and islands off Greater Sundas; off New Britain (southeastern Bismarck Archipelago), Bougainville (northern Solomon Islands); coastal Australia including Tasmania; and Saipan (southern Northern Mariana Islands, northwestern Micronesia); winters in southern portions of range
- Sternula albifrons albifrons: Europe to western Asia and western Indian Ocean; winters Africa to India
- Sternula albifrons innominata: islands in Persian Gulf
- Sternula albifrons sinensis: resident river systems of Pakistan and northern India, Sri Lanka, and eastward to southeastern Asia, Philippines, and northern Australia, and disjunctly in southeastern Siberia, Japan, and Saipan (Micronesia) southward to southeastern China; winters Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, coastal New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and western Micronesia
- Sternula albifrons placens: breeds coastal eastern Australia including Tasmania; ranges to Indonesia
- Sternula albifrons guineae: breeds coast and Niger River basin, Mauritania to Gabon, and northern Kenya
- Sternula antillarum: Great Plains to Texas and northern Louisiana; central California and Gulf of California coasts to Oaxaca (western Mexico), El Salvador, and Nicaragua; western North Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea from Bahamas to Lesser Antilles, islands off Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, and northern Honduras, and islands north of Venezuela; winters to coasts of northern South America
- Sternula antillarum antillarum: breeds coasts of eastern USA from Maine to Honduras, Caribbean, and the Guianas; winters to northern Brazil
- Sternula antillarum browni: breeds coasts of central California southward to Baja California and Oaxaca (southwestern Mexico); winters to Central America
- Sternula antillarum athalassos: breeds northern Great Plains from Montana and North Dakota southward to New Mexico, Louisiana, and Texas; winters to northern Brazil
- Show more...
Source: Clements checklist
Little or Least Tern
Afrikaans:
Klein-/Dwergsterretjie
Azerbaijani:
Kiçik/Antil susüpürəni
Bulgarian:
Белочела / Американска белочела рибарка
Catalan:
Xatrac menut comú/menut americà
Czech:
rybák malý/nejmenší
Danish:
Dværgterne/Amerikansk Dværgterne
German:
Zwerg-/Antillenseeschwalbe
Spanish:
Charrancito Común/Americano
Spanish (Spain):
Charrancito común/americano
Estonian:
väiketiir/ameerika väiketiir
Finnish:
pikkutiira/amerikanpikkutiira
French:
Sterne naine ou Petite Sterne
Hebrew:
שחפית גמדית/זעירה
Croatian:
mala/američka mala čigra
Hungarian:
Kis/Karib csér
Icelandic:
Dverg-/rindilþerna
Japanese (romaji):
koajisashi/amerikakoajisashi
Japanese:
コアジサシ/アメリカコアジサシ
Dutch:
Dwergstern/Amerikaanse Dwergstern
Norwegian:
dvergterne/amerikadvergterne
Polish:
rybitwa białoczelna/mała
Portuguese (Portugal):
chilreta-comum/chilreta-americana
Romanian:
Chiră mică/pitică
Russian:
Малая/Карликовая крачка
Slovak:
rybár malý/krpatý
Serbian:
Mala čigra/američka mala čigra
Swedish:
småtärna/amerikansk småtärna
Turkish:
Küçük sumru/Antil sumrusu
Ukrainian:
Крячок малий/карибський
Chinese:
白额燕鸥/小白额燕鸥
Chinese (Traditional):
白额燕鸥/小白额燕鸥
Authorities recognizing this taxonomic concept:
| American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 19th suppl.): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 20th suppl.): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 21st suppl.): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 22nd suppl.): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 23rd suppl.): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 24th suppl.): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 25th suppl.): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 26th suppl.): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 27th suppl.): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 28th suppl.): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 29th suppl.): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 30th suppl.): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| American Ornithologists' Union 4th edition (incl. 31st suppl.): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| American Ornithologists' Union 5th edition (1957): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| American Ornithologists' Union 5th edition (incl. 32nd suppl.): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| American Ornithologists' Union 5th edition (incl. 33rd suppl.): Least Tern ( Sterna albifrons) |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts (current): Little or Least Tern ( Sternula [albifrons or antillarum]) |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2023 (May 2023): Little or Least Tern ( Sternula [albifrons or antillarum]) |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2024 (Oct 2024): Little or Least Tern ( Sternula [albifrons or antillarum]) |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2025 (Nov 2025): Little or Least Tern ( Sternula [albifrons or antillarum]) |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 01 (August 2013): Little or Least Tern ( Sternula [albifrons or antillarum]) |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 02 (May 2014): Little or Least Tern ( Sternula [albifrons or antillarum]) |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 03 (March 2015): Little or Least Tern ( Sternula [albifrons or antillarum]) |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 04 (Aug 2016): Little or Least Tern ( Sternula [albifrons or antillarum]) |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 05 (Jan 2017): Little or Least Tern ( Sternula [albifrons or antillarum]) |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 06 (Feb 2018): Little or Least Tern ( Sternula [albifrons or antillarum]) |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 07 (Feb 2020): Little or Least Tern ( Sternula [albifrons or antillarum]) |
| Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 08 (Feb 2021): Little or Least Tern ( Sternula [albifrons or antillarum]) |
| British Ornithologists' Union Checklist (7th edition): Little Tern ( Sternula albifrons) |
| British Ornithologists' Union Checklist (7th edition, incl. Jan 2009 suppl.): Little Tern ( Sternula albifrons) |
| Clements 3rd edition: Little Tern ( Sterna albifrons) [version 1] |
| eBird version 1.52: Little/Least Tern ( Sternula albifrons/antillarum) |
| eBird version 1.53: Little/Least Tern ( Sternula albifrons/antillarum) |
| eBird version 1.54: Little/Least Tern ( Sternula albifrons/antillarum) |
| eBird version 1.55: Little/Least Tern ( Sternula albifrons/antillarum) |
| eBird version 2015: Little/Least Tern ( Sternula albifrons/antillarum) |
| eBird version 2016: Little/Least Tern ( Sternula albifrons/antillarum) |
| eBird version 2017: Little/Least Tern ( Sternula albifrons/antillarum) |
| eBird version 2018: Little/Least Tern ( Sternula albifrons/antillarum) |
| eBird version 2019: Little/Least Tern ( Sternula albifrons/antillarum) |
| eBird version 2021: Little/Least Tern ( Sternula albifrons/antillarum) |
| eBird version 2022: Little/Least Tern ( Sternula albifrons/antillarum) |
| eBird version 2023: Little/Least Tern ( Sternula albifrons/antillarum) |
| eBird version 2024: Little/Least Tern ( Sternula albifrons/antillarum) |
| eBird version 2025: Little/Least Tern ( Sternula albifrons/antillarum) |
Taxonomic status:
Species status: species group (sometimes a species)
This taxon is a subspecies of
Sternula [albifrons, antillarum or saundersi]
Your sightings
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Other synonyms
See also the taxonomic synonyms table.
Afrikaans: Klein-/Dwergsterretjie, Kleinseeswael , Kleinsterretjie
Arabic: الخرشنة الغبراء الصغيرة, الخرشنة الغبراء الصغيرة الجنة
Asturian: Garrochín Nanu, Garrochín nanu/americanu
Azerbaijani: Kiçik sterna, Kiçik/Antil susüpürəni
Belarusian: Малая крычка
Bulgarian: Белочела / Американска белочела рибарка, Белочела рибарка, Малка рибарка
Bengali: ছোট পানচিল
Breton: Ar skravig c'hwiton
Catalan: Llambritja menuda, Xatrac d'albufera, Xatrac menut, Xatrac menut comú/menut americà
Catalan (Balears): Llambritja menuda
Catalan, Valencian: Xatrac d'albufera
Czech: Rybák malý, rybák malý/nejmenší
Welsh: Morwennol fechan, Morwennol lleiaf
Danish: Dværgterne, Dværgterne/Amerikansk Dværgterne
German: Zwerg-/Antillenseeschwalbe, Zwergseeschwalbe
Greek: (Ευρωπαϊκό) Νανογλάρονο, Νανογλάρονο
Greek (Cypriot): Γλαρόνι
English: Least Tern, Little or Least Tern, Little Tern, Little/Least Tern
English (Avilist): Little/Least Tern
English, HBW: Little/Least Tern
English (IOC): Little/Least Tern
English (United States): Little/Least Tern
Esperanto: Malgranda ŝterno
Spanish: Charrán Menudo, charrán mínimo, Charrancito, Charrancito Común, Charrancito Común/Americano, Gaviota Chiquita, Gaviota golondrina común, Gaviotín golondrina, Golondrina-marina Comun
Spanish (Argentine): Gaviotín golondrina
Spanish (Dominican Rep.): Gaviota Chiquita
Spanish (Spain): Charrancito Común/Americano
Spanish (HBW): Little/Least Tern
Spanish (Honduras): Gaviota golondrina común
Spanish (Mexico): charrán mínimo, Golondrina-marina Comun
Spanish (Nicaragua): Charrán Menudo
Estonian: Väiketiir, väiketiir/ameerika väiketiir
Basque: Txenada txikia, Xatrac menut
Finnish: Pikkutiira, pikkutiira/amerikanpikkutiira
Faroese: Fruntaterna
French: Petite Sterne, Sterne naine, Sterne naine ou Petite Sterne
French (Guyane): Sterne naine ou Petite Sterne
Irish: Geabhróg Bheag
Guadeloupean Creole French: Petite mauve
Gaelic: Steàirdean, Stearnag bheag, Steàrnag Bheag
Galician: Carrán pequeno, Carranciño pequeno/das Antillas, Xatrac menut
Manx: Gant Beg
Hebrew: שחפית גמדית, שחפית גמדית/זעירה
Croatian: Mala Cigra, Mala Čigra, mala/američka mala čigra
Haitian Creole: Ti Mòv piti
Hungarian: Kis csér, Kis/Karib csér
Armenian: [Pokr Jratsitsar ], Փոքր Ջրածիծառ
Indonesian: Burung Dara Laut Kecil, Burung Dara-laut Kecil, Dara laut kecil, Daralaut Kecil
Icelandic: Dverg-/rindilþerna, Dvergþerna
Italian: Fraticello
Japanese (romaji): ko aji-sashi, koajisashi, Ko-ajisashi, ko-aji-sashi, koajisashi/amerikakoajisashi
Japanese: コアジサシ, コアジサシ/アメリカコアジサシ
Japanese (Kanji): 小鯵刺
Georgian: მცირე თევზიყლაპია
Kazakh: Кіші қарқылдақ
Kazakh (Transliteration): kişi qarqıldaq
Korean: 쇠제비갈매기
Korean (Transliteration): soe-jebi-galmaegi
Cornish: Morwennol lyha
Scientific: Sterna albifrons, Sterna minuta, Sternula [albifrons or antillarum], Sternula albifrons, Sternula albifrons albifrons, Sternula albifrons/antillarum, Sternula antillarum, Sternula antillarum antillarum
Luxembourgish: Zwergséischmuewel
Lithuanian: Mažoji žuvedra, Mažoji žuvėdra
Latvian: Mazais zīriņš
Macedonian: Мала вртимушка, Мала чигра
Mongolian: Хурган хараалай
Mongolian (Bichig): ᠬᠣᠷᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠬᠠᠷᠢᠶᠠᠯᠠᠢ
Mongolian (Bichig, Inner Mongolia): ᠮᠠᠩᠨᠠᠢ ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠬᠠᠷᠢᠶᠠᠴᠠᠢᠢᠯᠢᠭ ᠴᠠᠬᠣᠯᠠᠢ
Mongolian (Cyrillic, Inner Mongolia): Магнай цагаан хараацайлаг цахлай, Цагаан магнайт хараацай цахлай
Mongolian (Transliteration): khurg aŋ kharaalai, magnai tsag aaŋ kharaatsailag tsakhlai, tsag aaŋ magnait kharaatsai tsakhlai
Malay: Burung Camar Kecil, Burung Camar Ketam, Burung Camar Teluk Parsi, Camar Kecil
Maltese: Ċirlewwa Żgħira
Nepali: लघु ङ्घयालङ्घयाले
Dutch: Dwergstern, Dwergstern/Amerikaanse Dwergstern
Norwegian: Dvergterne, dvergterne/amerikadvergterne
Polish: rybitwa bialoczelna, Rybitwa białoczelna, rybitwa białoczelna/mała
Pinyin: bái-é yàn-ōu, xiǎo yàn-ōu
Portuguese: andorinha do mar anã, Andorinha-do-mar-anã, Trinta-reis, Trinta-reis-boreal
Portuguese (Brazil): Trinta-reis, Trinta-reis-boreal, Trinta-réis-miúdo
Portuguese (Portugal): Chilreta/Trinta-réis-miúdo, chilreta-comum/chilreta-americana
Rhaeto-Romance: Pestgarel pitschen
Romanian: Chiră mică, Chiră mică/pitică
Romance (Other): Pestgarel pitschen
Russian: Крачка малая, Малая крачка, Малая/Карликовая крачка
Slovak: Rybár bieločelý, Rybár malý, rybár malý/krpatý
Slovenian: mala cigra, Mala čigra
Albanian: Dallëndyshe deti ballëbardhë
Serbian: mala cigra, mala čigra, Mala čigra/američka mala čigra, Mala/američka mala čigra, Мала чигра
Swedish: Småtärna, småtärna/amerikansk småtärna
Swahili: Shakwe Mdogo
Thai: นกนางนวลแกลบเล็ก, นกนางนวลแกลบน้ำเค็ม
Thai (Transliteration): nók naaŋ-nuan-klàeep lék, nók naaŋ-nuan-klàeep nám-kʰem
Turkish: Beyaz-alınlı Deniz-kırlangıcı, Küçük sumru, Küçük sumru/Antil sumrusu, Кіші қарқылдақ
Tuvinian: Бичии cуг хараачыгайы
Ukrainian: Крячок малий , Крячок малий/карибський, Малий крячок
Vietnamese: Chim Nhàn nhỏ, Nhàn nhỏ
Chinese: [bai-e yan-ou], [xiao yan-ou], 小燕鷗, 白額燕鷗, 白额燕鸥, 白额燕鸥/小白额燕鸥
Chinese (Traditional): 白額燕鷗, 白额燕鸥/小白额燕鸥
Chinese (Taiwan, Traditional): 小燕鷗
Chinese (Taiwan): [xiao yan-ou], 小燕鷗, 小燕鸥
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