9,905 observationsLeast Concern
Little Tern
Sternula albifrons
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia βΊPhylum: Chordata βΊClass: Aves βΊOrder: Charadriiformes βΊFamily: Laridae βΊGenus: Sternula
About
The little tern (Sternula albifrons) is a seabird of the family, Laridae. It was formerly placed into the genus Sterna, which now is restricted to the large white terns. The genus name is a diminutive of Sterna, "tern". The specific albifrons is from Latin albus, "white", and "frons", forehead. The former North American (S. a. antillarum) and Red Sea S. a. saundersi subspecies are now considered to be separate species, the least tern (Sternula antillarum) and...