Sternula saundersi
The Saunders's Tern, *Sternula saundersi*, is a captivatingly diminutive seabird, recognized as one of the smallest tern species globally, measuring just 20-28 cm in length with a wingspan of 45-50 cm and weighing a mere 40-60 grams. Its breeding plumage showcases a striking black cap contrasted by a prominent white forehead patch, extending above the eye, while its back and wings are pale grey, and its underparts are pure white. A distinctive dark wedge on the outer primaries is a key field ...
Primarily inhabits coastal and shallow marine environments, including estuaries, lagoons, sandy beaches, mudflats, and crucially, arid salt pans and saline depressions at low elevations.
Feeds predominantly on small fish caught by plunge-diving, supplemented by marine invertebrates such as crabs and shrimp, and occasionally insects.
Saunders's Terns are highly diurnal, engaging in active foraging throughout the day and often roosting in communal flocks on beaches or sandbars during the night. Their primary foraging strategy involves gracefully hovering over shallow water before executing swift, shallow plunge-dives to snatch...
The Saunders's Tern is an Old World species with a broad, disjunct distribution across coastal areas of the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian subcontinent, and parts of Southeast Asia. Its primary breeding grounds span the Red Sea coast, the entire Persian Gulf (including countries like Saudi Arabia,...
Least Concern
- Saunders's Tern is one of the smallest tern species in the world, often weighing less than a lightbulb. - It was formerly considered a subspecies of the Little Tern (*Sternula albifrons*) but was elevated to full species status due to distinct morphological, ecological, and genetic differences....