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Least Tern (family)

Sternula antillarum

Description:

One of the smallest of the Tern family. Gray back, white underparts, black cap with white V about the eyes. Orange bill with a black tip and short legs. Also one of the most erratic flyers. These birds are flyers and will turn just as fast. During the breeding season most of the time the adults will spend going back and forth getting food for the fast growing chicks. The adults also have to hunt down the wandering chicks just by their calls.

Habitat:

Ones found on the breeding in California are believed to come from Mexico but there are not much info. The rest on beaches mostly and feed over bays, oceans and large rivers.

Notes:

In a short period of time this chick was fed 2 fish. In the 5th image you can see how full it's crop was. The first image is when it refused a fish because of it.

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Jellis
Spotted by
Jellis

Alameda, California, USA

Spotted on Jul 21, 2016
Submitted on Jul 22, 2016

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