Orkney Bird Recorder Steve Dudley and Species on the Edge are working together to collate Little Tern sightings and we need your help!
If you see a Little Tern in Orkney between April and July, please let us know! Email your sighting to Species on the Edge People Engagement Officer, Sam: samantha.stringer@rspb.org.uk. Please include the date of the sighting, location, number seen and activity (flying, nesting, feeding).
Your sightings will benefit future Little Tern conservation work in Orkney and protect these special birds and their nesting sites.
How to identify Little Tern
The Little Tern is the UK’s smallest tern. It is silvery-grey above and white below, has a black cap, a black eyestripe, and a white forehead. It has a short tail, short yellowy-orange legs, and yellow bill with a black tip.
It is noisy in breeding groups and performs elaborate aerial displays. The male calls and carries a fish to attract a mate, who then chases him up high before he descends, gliding with wings in a ‘V’.
Listen to its call. (Credit: David Farrow / xeno-canto)
