Scientific name: Sterna albifrons Pallas, 1764
Bird group: Gulls and Terns
Field characters. 24 cm. Smallest tern; in flight almost wader-like. Easy to distinguish from other terns by small size, yellow legs, yellow bill with black tip, and white on forehead and above eyes. Black cap in summer. Back and upperwings grey, neck, underwings, rump, forked tail and underparts white. Outer 2-3 primaries very dark, almost black at a distance, contrasting with rest of upperwing. Juvenile heavily barred with dark brown and with a dusky cap. Wing beats fast in flight and when hovering.
Voice. High and hoarse 'cree-ik', repeated 'kik', and a fast 'kirri kirri'.
Distribution. Summer visitor to the northern hemisphere. Common but local.
Habitat. Mainly coastal, especially near remote shell-covered sandy beaches. Also found on mudflats. Sometimes far inland near stony and sandy river beds.
Food. Small fish and crustaceans.