Species Information
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Craniata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Laridae
Genus: Sternula
Species: antillarum athalassos
Interior Least Tern - Sternula antillarum athalassos
Image courtesy of Biota Information System of New Mexico
389066
Species Extent (New Mexico)
General Description
Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) is the smallest (21-23 cm) North American tern and breeds in coastal areas of California, portions of the Atlantic Coast and Gulf Coast, and islands throughout the Caribbean. The interior population of least terns has only small, remnant colonies throughout their former range. Terns have been observed to breed at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern New Mexico. They nest on salt flats, sandbars, and sand dunes near water and eat fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Status
Observations in Natural Heritage New Mexico Database
Number of Subpopulations: 7
Number of Mapped Locations: 7
Number of Observations: 26
Observation date range: 06-01-1950 to 07-02-2001
External Links
View More Information about this species at:
Biota Information System of New Mexico (BISON-M)
NatureServe Explorer
Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS)
New Mexico State Wildlife Action Plan (NMSWAP)
Biota Information System of New Mexico (BISON-M)
NatureServe Explorer
Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS)
New Mexico State Wildlife Action Plan (NMSWAP)