Least Tern

On many protected barrier beaches you may find Least Terns feeding and raising their new chicks alongside Piping Plovers.  Their nests usually consist of a shallow scrape on a sandy beach. Least Terns are the smallest terns and have gray upperparts, white underparts, a black cap and nape, a white forehead, and an orange-yellow bill with a dark tip.  Stay clear of their nests as they are very protective and will take a sharp dive directly at any and all intruders while making lots of screeching noises.

According to the Mass. Natural Heritage Endangered Species program, the Least Tern breeds along the Atlantic coast and also in inland locations along major rivers. On Cape Cod, Least Terns arrive in early May to nest in coastal locations and typically depart in early September for their winter grounds in Central and South America. In Massachusetts, the Least Tern is considered a species of special concern along with many other bird species that face of a variety of threats and risks to their natural habitats.

In a recent Cape Cod Times article, Vern Laux notes that “terns have recently fledged young and are appearing in greater numbers than a week ago on Cape Cod beaches. The young terns are learning to fly and how to dive into the water and capture live fish. It takes years to learn how to "plunge-dive" and decades to perfect the technique. This image from Black Beach in Falmouth shows an adult Least Tern returning to the nest with a live fish.

Enjoy,

Craig Gibson
Woods Hole