Little Tern (Nhàn nhỏ)

Conservation status: LC

🐦 Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) – Nhàn nhỏ

🔍 Identification
Scientific Name: Sternula albifrons
Vietnamese Name: Nhàn nhỏ
Size: 21–25 cm (length); wingspan 41–47 cm
Weight: ~40–63 grams
Plumage:

Breeding Adult:

White forehead and underparts
Black cap (top of head)
Pale grey upperparts and wings
Yellow bill with a black tip
Yellow legs

Non-breeding Adult:

More white on the head
Bill duller, often blackish
Legs duller in color

🗺️ Distribution and Habitat
Global Range: Europe, Asia, and northern Africa; migratory to Africa and Southeast Asia.
Vietnam: Common along coastlines, estuaries, mudflats, and sandbars.
Preferred Habitat:

Coastal areas
Rivers and lakes with sandy or gravelly banks
Occasionally inland reservoirs

🧭 Migration

Migratory species
Breeds in temperate zones (spring/summer) and winters in tropical/subtropical regions.
In Vietnam, often seen from October to April during migration and overwintering.

🍽️ Diet
Primarily small fish
Also eats crustaceans, insects, and marine invertebrates
Hunts by hovering over water and diving for prey
🐣 Breeding
Season: Typically May to August in breeding grounds (outside Vietnam)
Nesting:
Ground-nester
Creates shallow scrapes on sandy or gravelly beaches
Colonial breeder, often nesting in small groups
Clutch Size: 1–3 eggs
Incubation: ~20 days
Chick Rearing: Both parents feed and protect chicks

📊 Conservation Status
IUCN Status: Least Concern (LC)
However, populations are declining in some regions due to:
Habitat disturbance (tourism, development)

Predation
Climate change and sea-level rise affecting nesting sites
🛡️ Conservation Actions
Protect breeding sites from human disturbance
Restrict development in coastal nesting habitats
Monitoring and awareness programs, especially in key stopover areas like Vietnam

🔎 How to Spot in Vietnam
Look for them flying low over water, diving sharply for fish.
Often rest on sandbanks, coastal flats, or mudflats.
Usually in small flocks.

📷 Field Tips
Carry binoculars—these terns are small and often far offshore.
Note bill and leg color—key for separating from similar species like the Common Tern (Sterna hirundo).
Their quick, fluttery flight and sharp “kreee-kreee” calls are distinctive.