About the Little Tern
The little tern is a seabird of the family Laridae. It was first described by the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas in 1764 and given the binomial name Sterna albifrons. It was moved to the genus Sternula when the genus Sterna was restricted to the larger typical terns. The genus name Sternula is a diminutive of Sterna, 'tern', while the specific name albifrons is from Latin albus, 'white', and frons, 'forehead'.
Source: Wikipedia
Taxonomy & Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Charadriiformes |
| Family | Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers (Laridae) |
| Species | Sternula albifrons |
| Species Codes | litter1, LITE |
Frequently Asked Questions
What family does the Little Tern belong to?
The Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) belongs to the Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers family (Laridae), in the order Charadriiformes.
How can I identify the Little Tern?
The little tern is a seabird of the family Laridae. It was first described by the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas in 1764 and given the binomial name Sterna albifrons. It was moved to the genus Sternula when the genus Sterna was restricted to the larger typical terns. The genus name Sternula is...
Where can I report a Little Tern sighting?
You can log sightings of Little Tern on eBird (ebird.org) using species code litter1, or on iNaturalist.
Related Species in Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers 105 species
More Birds in Order Charadriiformes
Quick Stats
Spotted a Little Tern?
Log your sighting on eBird or upload a photo to our AI Bird Identifier!