Least Tern
A tiny beach-nesting tern, state-threatened in Florida, that now nests on gravel rooftops as well as our beaches.
All year
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct (this month)
- Nov
- Dec
Why it’s sensitive
The Least Tern is North America’s smallest tern. It lays its eggs in a shallow scrape on bare sand, where they are perfectly camouflaged — and easily stepped on. Florida lists it as State-designated Threatened. Beach development, crowds, vehicles, dogs, cats, raccoons and storms have pushed many colonies off the beach and onto flat gravel rooftops, which now hold a large share of Florida’s nesting pairs.
A colony that is disturbed again and again can abandon its eggs; chicks left in the sun for even a short time can die from the heat.
When
Least Terns arrive in spring and lay eggs from about early May in North Florida. Incubation takes three weeks, and chicks can’t fly for about three more, so colonies are active through the summer. They leave for South America in late summer.
iNaturalist protects their locations all year, so the timeline above shows the whole year — but the nesting months are when your care matters most.
How eBird handles it
The Least Tern is not on eBird’s Sensitive Species list, so eBird sightings are public. That’s why it’s up to us not to describe colony locations in detail.
How iNaturalist handles it
Because Florida lists it as threatened, iNaturalist obscures every Florida Least Tern observation automatically, all year. The photo, identification and date stay public; the map point is moved within about 18 miles.
What we ask of members
- Never give the location of a colony — no beach access numbers, neighborhood names, building names or rooftops. “Nesting on Amelia Island” is plenty.
- Stay outside posted areas and the string-and-sign “symbolic fencing” around colonies, even if you can’t see any birds.
- Back away if terns call overhead or dive at you — you are too close.
- Keep dogs leashed and away from nesting beaches, and never fly drones near a colony.
- If you find a colony that isn’t posted, tell a site administrator — we’ll pass it on to the people who monitor and post Florida’s shorebird nests.
Learn more
At a glance
- SensitiveAll year
- Report it?Yes — eBird and iNaturalist protect it automatically
- Share the spot?No — name the park or county only