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Little Tern Sterna albifrons
IUCN Red List history
| Year | Category |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Least Concern |
| 2009 | Least Concern |
| 2008 | Least Concern |
| 2004 | Least Concern |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1994 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
Species attributes
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | Does not normally occur in forest |
| Land mass type | Average mass | 57 g |
Distribution
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) | 11,800,000 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) | 15,900,000 | medium |
| Number of locations | - | |
| Fragmentation | - |
Population & trend
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of mature individuals | poor | Estimated | 2009 | |
| Population trend | Decreasing | - | ||
| Number of subpopulations | - | - | - | |
| Largest subpopulation | - | - | - | |
| Generation length (yrs) | 10.9 | - | - | - |
| Population justification: The global population is estimated to number c.190,000-410,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2006), while national population estimates include: c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs and c.1,000-10,000 individuals on migration in China; c.100-10,000 breeding pairs, c.50-1,000 individuals on migration and c.50-1,000 wintering individuals in Taiwan; c.100-10,000 breeding pairs and c.50-1,000 individuals on migration in Korea and c.100-10,000 breeding pairs and c.50-1,000 individuals on migration in Japan (Brazil 2009). | ||||
| Trend justification: The overall population trend is decreasing, although some populations have unknown trends (Wetlands International 2006). | ||||
Country/Territory distribution
| Country/Territory | Occurrence status | Extinct | Breeding | Non-breeding | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Albania | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Algeria | Native | No | |||
| Angola | Vagrant | No | |||
| Armenia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Australia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Austria | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Azerbaijan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Bahrain | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Bangladesh | Native | No | |||
| Belarus | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Belgium | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Benin | Native | No | |||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Native | No | |||
| British Indian Ocean Territory | Native | No | |||
| Brunei | Native | No | |||
| Bulgaria | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Burkina Faso | Vagrant | No | |||
| Burundi | Native | No | |||
| Cambodia | Native | No | |||
| Cameroon | Native | No | |||
| Cape Verde | Vagrant | No | |||
| Côte d'Ivoire | Native | No | |||
| Chad | Native | No | |||
| China (mainland) | Native | No | |||
| Colombia | Vagrant | No | |||
| Congo | Native | No | |||
| Congo, The Democratic Republic of the | Native | No | |||
| Croatia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Cyprus | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Czech Republic | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Denmark | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Djibouti | Native | No | |||
| Egypt | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Equatorial Guinea | Native | No | |||
| Eritrea | Native | No | |||
| Estonia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Faroe Islands (to Denmark) | Vagrant | No | |||
| Fiji | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Finland | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| France | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Gabon | Native | No | |||
| Gambia | Native | No | |||
| Georgia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Germany | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Ghana | Native | No | |||
| Gibraltar (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Greece | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Guam (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Guinea | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Guinea-Bissau | Native | No | |||
| Hong Kong (China) | Native | No | |||
| Hungary | Native | No | Yes | ||
| India | Native | No | |||
| Indonesia | Native | No | |||
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Iraq | Native | No | |||
| Ireland | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Israel | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Italy | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Japan | Native | No | |||
| Jordan | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Kazakhstan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Kenya | Native | No | |||
| Kiribati | Vagrant | No | |||
| Kuwait | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Kyrgyzstan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Laos | Native | No | |||
| Latvia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Lebanon | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| Liberia | Native | No | |||
| Libya | Native | No | |||
| Lithuania | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Luxembourg | Vagrant | No | |||
| Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Malaysia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Maldives | Vagrant | No | |||
| Mali | Native | No | |||
| Malta | Vagrant | No | |||
| Marshall Islands | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Mauritania | Native | No | |||
| Mauritius | Native | No | |||
| Micronesia, Federated States of | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Moldova | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Mongolia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Montenegro | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Morocco | Native | No | |||
| Mozambique | Native | No | |||
| Myanmar | Native | No | |||
| Namibia | Vagrant | No | |||
| Nepal | Native | No | |||
| Netherlands | Native | No | Yes | ||
| New Caledonia (to France) | Vagrant | No | |||
| New Zealand | Native | No | |||
| Niger | Native | No | |||
| Nigeria | Native | No | |||
| North Korea | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Northern Mariana Islands (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Norway | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Oman | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Pakistan | Native | No | |||
| Palau | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Palestinian Authority Territories | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Papua New Guinea | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Philippines | Native | No | |||
| Poland | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Portugal | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Qatar | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Romania | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Russia (Asian) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Russia (Central Asian) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Russia (European) | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Samoa | Vagrant | No | |||
| Saudi Arabia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Senegal | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Serbia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Seychelles | Vagrant | No | |||
| Sierra Leone | Vagrant | No | |||
| Singapore | Native | No | |||
| Slovakia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Slovenia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Solomon Islands | Native | No | |||
| Somalia | Native | No | |||
| South Africa | Native | No | |||
| South Korea | Native | No | |||
| Spain | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Sri Lanka | Native | No | |||
| Sudan | Unknown | No | |||
| Sweden | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Switzerland | Native | No | |||
| Syria | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Taiwan (China) | Native | No | |||
| Tajikistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Tanzania | Native | No | |||
| Thailand | Native | No | |||
| Timor-Leste | Native | No | |||
| Togo | Native | No | |||
| Tunisia | Native | No | |||
| Turkey | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Turkmenistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Ukraine | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| United Arab Emirates | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| United Kingdom | Native | No | Yes | ||
| USA | Vagrant | No | |||
| Uzbekistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Vietnam | Native | No | |||
| Western Sahara | Native | No | |||
| Yemen | Vagrant | No | Yes |
Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria
| Country/Territory | IBA Name | IBA link |
|---|---|---|
| Albania | Karavasta Lagoon |  |
| Belarus | Dniepr floodplain Lojeŭ-Žary | |
| Belarus | Mid Prypiac' | |
| Belarus | Prypiackija baloty | |
| Belgium | Voorhaven Zeebrugge and Baai van Heist | |
| Bulgaria | Atanasovsko Lake | |
| Bulgaria | Durankulak Lake | |
| Bulgaria | Emine | |
| Bulgaria | Mandra-Poda complex | |
| Bulgaria | Pomorie Lake | |
| Bulgaria | Shabla Lake Complex | |
| China (mainland) | Desert and wetland from Northern Urumqi to Dabancheng | |
| China (mainland) | Oasis, Desert and Wetland at Mosuowan | |
| China (mainland) | Ulungur Hu and Jili Hu (Fu Hai) | |
| Denmark | Fanø | |
| Denmark | Northwestern Kattegat | |
| Denmark | Skallingen and Langli | |
| Denmark | Smålandsfarvandet | |
| Denmark | Vadehavet (Wadden Sea) | |
| Egypt | Lake Bardawil | |
| Egypt | Lake Burullus Protected Area | |
| Egypt | Lake Manzala | |
| Estonia | Kahtla-Kübassaare | |
| Estonia | Kolga bay | |
| Estonia | Pärnu bay (NEW) | |
| Estonia | Siiksaare-Oessaare bays | |
| Estonia | Väinameri | |
| France | Archipel de Molène | |
| France | Baie des Veys et Marais du Cotentin | |
| France | Camargue | |
| France | Cap Gris-nez | |
| France | Cordon lagunaire de Sète à Agde | |
| France | Estuaires du Trieux et du Jaudy | |
| France | Etangs de Leucate et Lapalme | |
| France | Etangs de Vendres, Pissevache et Lespignan | |
| France | Etangs Montpellierains | |
| France | Etangs Narbonnais | |
| France | Ile de Goulmedec | |
| France | Littoral Augeron | |
| France | Marais entre Crau et Grand Rhône: Meyranne, Chanoine, Plan de Bourg et Salins du Caban | |
| France | Petite Camargue laguno-marine | |
| France | Salines de l'Etang de Berre | |
| France | Salins d'Hyères et de Pesquiers | |
| France | Val d'Allier Bourbonnais | |
| France | Vallée de la Loire : de Nantes à Montsoreau | |
| France | Vallée de la Loire : environs de Blois | |
| France | Vallée de la Loire : environs de Montlouis-sur-Loire | |
| France | Vallée de la Loire : La Charité-sur-Loire | |
| France | Vallée de la Loire : Orléanais | |
| France | Vallée de la Loire: Pit majeur d'Iguerande à Décize | |
| Gambia | Tanji River (Karinti) Bird Reserve | |
| Ghana | Densu Delta Ramsar Site | |
| Ghana | Keta Lagoon Ramsar Site | |
| Ghana | Songor Ramsar Site | |
| Greece | Alyki Kitros lagoon | |
| Greece | Amvrakikos gulf | |
| Greece | Axios, Loudias, and Aliakmon estuaries | |
| Greece | Evros delta | |
| Greece | Kalamas estuary | |
| Greece | Mesolongi and Aetoliko lagoons, and Acheloos and Evinos estuaries | |
| Greece | Nestou delta and coastal lagoons | |
| Greece | Porto Lagos, Lake Vistonis, and coastal lagoons (Lakes of Thrace) | |
| Greece | Sperchios valley and delta-Maliakos gulf | |
| Guinea | Rio Kapatchez | |
| Hungary | Dráva | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Gomishan marshes and Turkoman steppes | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Hilleh Protected Area | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Miankaleh Peninsula and Gorgan Bay | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Shadegan marshes and tidal mudflats of Khor-al Amaya and Khor Musa | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | South Caspian shore, from Astara to Gomishan | |
| Ireland | Connemara Islands | |
| Israel | Carmel coast | |
| Japan | Lake Hamanako | |
| Kazakhstan | Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve | |
| Lithuania | Islauzas fish-ponds | |
| Lithuania | Nemunas River between Pelesiskes & Balbieriskis settlements | |
| Lithuania | Nemunas River between Prienai & Lengveniskes settlements | |
| Lithuania | Nemunas River between Smalininkai & Kulautuva settlements | |
| Lithuania | Varduva River and Varduva Reservoir | |
| Lithuania | Visbarai fish-farm | |
| Malaysia | Pulau Bruit National Park | |
| Mauritania | Aftout es Sâheli | |
| Mozambique | Bazaruto Archipelago | |
| Netherlands | Haringvliet | |
| Netherlands | Lake Volkerak | |
| Netherlands | Rottumeroog | |
| Netherlands | Texel: Dunes and Hors | |
| Netherlands | Westerschelde and Saeftinghe | |
| Philippines | Buguey wetlands | |
| Poland | Lower Bug river valley | |
| Poland | Lower Odra river valley | |
| Poland | Lower Vistula River Valley | |
| Poland | Malopolska Wisla river gap | |
| Poland | Middle Vistula River Valley | |
| Poland | Pilica River Valley | |
| Poland | Puck Bay | |
| Poland | Siemianowka Reseirvoir | |
| Poland | Swietokrzyskie Vistula River Valley | |
| Poland | Turek Site | |
| Poland | Vistula river mouth | |
| Portugal | Albufeira do Caia | |
| Portugal | Castro Marim | |
| Portugal | Mondego Estuary | |
| Portugal | Ria de Aveiro | |
| Portugal | Ria Formosa (Faro lagoon) | |
| Portugal | Sado estuary | |
| Portugal | Salinas de Alverca e do Forte da Casa | |
| Portugal | Santo André and Sancha lagoons | |
| Portugal | Tejo estuary | |
| Romania | Black Sea | |
| Romania | Braţul Borcea | |
| Romania | Confluenţa Olt - Dunăre | |
| Romania | Danube Delta | |
| Romania | Dunăre - Ostroave | |
| Romania | Dunărea Veche (Braţul Măcin) | |
| Romania | Lake Beibugeac (Plopu) | |
| Romania | Lake Bugeac | |
| Romania | Limanu - Herghelia | |
| Romania | Ostrovu Lung - Gostinu | |
| Russia (Asian) | Aniva bay | |
| Russia (Asian) | North-east Sakhalin lagoons | |
| Russia (European) | Beglitskaya sand-spit | |
| Russia (European) | Bulgarski | |
| Russia (European) | Dadynskiye lakes | |
| Russia (European) | Delta of the River Don | |
| Russia (European) | Flood-plain of Algashka river | |
| Russia (European) | Flood-plain of Oka river between the mouth of Klyaz'ma river and Dzerzhinsk | |
| Russia (European) | Flood-plain of Oka river in Navashinski district | |
| Russia (European) | Flood-plain of Volga river between Gorodets and N.Novgorod | |
| Russia (European) | Flood-plain of Volga river between N.Novgorod and Pamyat' Parizhskoi Kommuny village | |
| Russia (European) | Floodplain of Oka river up-stream of the Murom | |
| Russia (European) | Forests and wetlands in the valley of the Nuzhma river | |
| Russia (European) | Islands in the western part of Lake Manych-Gudilo | |
| Russia (European) | Kamsko-Bakaldinskiye marshes | |
| Russia (European) | Kamsko-Ikski area | |
| Russia (European) | Khanskoye Lake | |
| Russia (European) | Kiziltash limans | |
| Russia (European) | Marshes near Pavlovskoye Zaoch'ye and adjoining floodplain of Oka river | |
| Russia (European) | Nizhnekamskaya flood-plain | |
| Russia (European) | Rybinsk reservoir | |
| Russia (European) | Shumerlinskaya | |
| Russia (European) | Sulakskaya bay | |
| Russia (European) | Sura environs | |
| Russia (European) | Upper Mologa river (Verestovo lake) | |
| Russia (European) | Yeiski salt-lakes | |
| Russia (European) | Zavidovo Nature Reserve, including Lotoshinski, Klinski and Diatlovo fish-ponds | |
| Senegal | Parc National de la Langue de Barbarie | |
| Slovenia | Sečovlje saltpans | |
| South Korea | Cheonsu Bay | |
| South Korea | Nakdong-gang estuary | |
| South Korea | Sihwa-ho lake | |
| Spain | Albufera de Valencia marshes | |
| Spain | Cádiz bay | |
| Spain | Ebro delta | |
| Spain | El Hondo wetland | |
| Spain | Isla Cristina and Ayamonte marshes and Prado lagoon | |
| Spain | Lácara-Morante | |
| Spain | Mar Menor coastal lagoon | |
| Spain | Mata and Torrevieja lagoons | |
| Spain | Mountain range and saltpans at Cabo de Gata | |
| Spain | Odiel and Tinto marshes and Huelva coastal lagoons | |
| Spain | River Piedras marshes and Rompido sandbank | |
| Spain | Santa Pola salt-pans | |
| Spain | Wetlands of western Almería | |
| Sweden | Coastal areas of eastern Öland island | |
| Sweden | Coastal areas of eastern Gotland island | |
| Turkey | Bakırçay Delta | |
| Turkey | Ceyhan Delta | |
| Turkey | Ereğli Plain | |
| Turkey | Göksu Delta | |
| Turkey | Gediz Delta | |
| Turkey | Meriç Delta | |
| Turkey | Seyfe Lake | |
| Turkey | Seyhan Delta | |
| Turkey | Sultan Marsh | |
| Ukraine | Karkinits'ka and Dzharylgats'ka bays | |
| Ukraine | Kryva peninsula | |
| Ukraine | Kuyal'nyts'kyj lyman | |
| Ukraine | Kyivs'ke reservoir | |
| Ukraine | Syvash Bay | |
| United Kingdom | Alde - Ore Estuary | |
| United Kingdom | Benacre to Easton Bavents | |
| United Kingdom | Chesil Beach and the Fleet | |
| United Kingdom | Chichester and Langstone Harbours | |
| United Kingdom | Dee Estuary | |
| United Kingdom | Duddon Estuary | |
| United Kingdom | Eden Estuary, Tentsmuir Point and Abertay Sands | |
| United Kingdom | Gibraltar Point | |
| United Kingdom | Great Yarmouth North Denes | |
| United Kingdom | Hamford Water | |
| United Kingdom | Humber Estuary | |
| United Kingdom | Lindisfarne | |
| United Kingdom | Mid-Essex Coast | |
| United Kingdom | Minsmere - Walberswick | |
| United Kingdom | North Norfolk Coast | |
| United Kingdom | North Uist Machair and Islands | |
| United Kingdom | Northumbria Coast | |
| United Kingdom | Sleibhtean Agus Chladach Thiriodh | |
| United Kingdom | Solent Marshes and Southampton Water | |
| United Kingdom | South Uist Machair and Lochs | |
| United Kingdom | Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast | |
| United Kingdom | The Wash | |
| United Kingdom | Tiree and Coll | |
| United Kingdom | Uists Machairs, Lochs and Coast | |
| United Kingdom | Ythan Estuary, Sands of Forvie and Meikle Loch | |
| Uzbekistan | Kagan Fish Farm | |
| Uzbekistan | Rogatoe Lake | |
| Uzbekistan | Zholdyrbas Lake | |
Habitats & altitude
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Salt Exploitation Sites | suitable | breeding |
| Artificial/Aquatic & Marine | Salt Exploitation Sites | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Coastal Freshwater Lakes | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Coastal Freshwater Lakes | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Estuaries | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Estuaries | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Macroalgal/Kelp | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Macroalgal/Kelp | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Pelagic | marginal | resident |
| Marine Neritic | Seagrass (Submerged) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Seagrass (Submerged) | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy-Mud | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy-Mud | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls) | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) | suitable | breeding |
| Altitude | 0 - 2000 m | Occasional altitudinal limits |
Utilisation
| Purpose | Primary form used | Life stage used | Source | Scale | Level | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Sterna albifrons. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 25/05/2013.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 25/05/2013.
This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Current IUCN Red List category | Least Concern |
| Family | Laridae (Gulls and terns) |
| Species name author | Pallas, 1764 |
| Population size | mature individuals |
| Population trend | Decreasing |
| Distribution size (breeding/resident) | 11,800,000 km2 |
| Country endemic? | No |
| Links to further information | |
|
- Summary information on this species - Climate change species distributions | |
|
|