Little Tern - profile

Scientific name: Sterna albifrons
Conservation status in NSW: Endangered

Description

The Little Tern is a small, slender, migratory or partly migratory seabird. At less than 25 cm long it is two- thirds to half the size of any other south-eastern tern. Pale grey upperparts contrast with the white chest, underbelly and the moderately long, deeply forked tail (80 - 110 mm). The Little Tern has a black cap and black outer wing-edges. During breeding the bill (26 - 32 mm) and legs change from black to yellow, and a black wedge appears from the bill to the eye. During non-breeding, the Little Tern’s black cap shrinks to a black nape and its bill becomes black.

Location and habitat

Distribution
Migrating from eastern Asia, the Little Tern is found on the north, east and south-east Australian coasts, from Shark Bay in Western Australia to the Gulf of St Vincent in South Australia. In NSW, it arrives from September to November, occurring mainly north of Sydney, with smaller numbers found south to Victoria. It breeds in spring and summer along the entire east coast from Tasmania to northern Queensland, and is seen until May, with only occasional birds seen in winter months.

Habitat and ecology

Almost exclusively coastal, preferring sheltered environments; however may occur several kilometres from the sea in harbours, inlets and rivers (with occasional offshore islands or coral cay records).
Nests in small, scattered colonies in low dunes or on sandy beaches just above high tide mark near estuary mouths or adjacent to coastal lakes and islands.
The nest is a scrape in the sand, which may be lined with shell grit, seaweed or small pebbles.
Both parents incubate up to three well-camouflaged eggs for up to 22 days, aggressively defending the nest against intruders until the young fledge at 17 - 19 days.
Often seen feeding in flocks, foraging for small fish, crustaceans, insects, annelids and molluscs by plunging in the shallow water of channels and estuaries, and in the surf on beaches, or skipping over the water surface with a swallow-like flight.

Regional information
This species is found in the following catchment management authority regions. Click on a region name to see more details about the distribution, vegetation types and habitat preference of the species in that region.

Threats

Nesting at flood-prone locations.
Predation of eggs and chicks by foxes, dogs, cats, black rats, silver gulls, ravens and raptors.
Disturbance to coastal feeding, nesting and roosting areas through beach-combing, fishing, dog-walking, horse-riding and 4WD vehicles; parents often leave the nest when approached, resulting in exposure of chicks or eggs.
Coastal and inland habitat areas are being impacted by land clearing for residential, agricultural and tourism developments, by sand and rutile mining, and by waste disposal dumps.
Hydrological changes to estuaries and similar waterbodies may modify or remove important areas of suitable habitat, or affect the availability of food.
Potentially susceptible to pesticides and contamination of estuaries by oil-spills and heavy metals.
Well-camouflaged eggs are at risk of accidental destruction.

Recovery strategies

Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological community. The Department of Environment and Conservation has identified 22 priority actions to help recover the Little Tern in New South Wales.

What needs to be done to recover this species?

Support local community groups acting as nesting site wardens.
Keep domestic dogs/cats indoors at night.
Undertake fox and feral cat control programs.
Searches for the species should be conducted in suitable habitat in proposed development areas.
DEC should be consulted when planning development/s to minimise impact/s on populations.
Assess appropriateness of dog/cat ownership in new subdivisions.
Manage estuaries and the surrounding landscape to ensure the natural hydrological regimes are maintained.
Limit visitor movement through sites.
Erect fences and interpretive signage to minimise human disturbance and advise how their behaviour can affect the threatened species' survival.
Protect and maintain known or potential habitats, including implementation of protection zones around known habitat sites and sites of recent records.
Assess the site's importance to the species' survival, including linkages provided between ecological resources across the broader landscape.
Flag beaches with lines of bunting or raise nests on sandbags to protect nesting birds in flood prone areas.

References

Higgins, P. and Davies, S. (eds.) (1996) Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds Volume 3: Snipe to Pigeons. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.
Hill, R., Bamford, M., Rounsevell, D. and Vincent, J. (1988) Little Terns and Fairy Terns in Australia - an RAOU Conservation Statement. Royal Australian Ornithologists Union Report 53, Melbourne.
Martindale, J. (1985) North Coast Little Tern Survey 1984-85. Unpublished Report, NSW NPWS.
Morris, A.K., McGill, A.R. and Holmes, G. (1981) Handlist of Birds in New South Wales. NSW Field Ornithologists Club, Sydney.
Murray, A. (1994) Little Tern. Australian Natural History 24(10):22-23
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2003) Little Tern (Sterna albifrons) Recovery Plan. NSW NPWS, Hurstville NSW.
Owen, R. (1991) A Report on the Management of Little Tern Sterna albifrons in the Bairnsdale Region during the 1990/1991 Breeding Season. Unpublished Report, Victorian Department of Conservation and the Environment, Bairnsdale.
Smith, P. (1990) The biology and management of the Little Tern Sterna albifrons in NSW. NPWS, Sydney.
Smith, P. (1994) Management of the Little Tern Sterna albifrons Colony at Forster. Report to NSW NPWS, Hurstville.