[Length 9 in. Wingspan 20 in.]

This Least Tern was photographed at the Convention Center sand flats, South Padre Island, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens on a Nikon D7100 camera. (Date: May 20, 2013)

[Length 9 in. Wingspan 20 in.]

This juvenile Least Tern was photographed at Boca Chica Beach, Brownsville, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens on a Nikon D7100 camera. (Date: July 28, 2016)

[Length 9 in. Wingspan 20 in.]

This Least Tern was photographed at the tidal flats behind the SPI Convention Center, South Padre Island, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens on a Nikon D7100 camera. (Date: September 8, 2016)

[Length 9 in. Wingspan 20 in.]

This Least Tern was photographed at the tidal flats behind the SPI Convention Center, South Padre Island, Texas. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 IF-ED lens on a Nikon D7100 camera. (Date: May 07, 2018)

[Length 9 in. Wingspan 20 in.]

This Least Tern was photographed at the SPI Convention Center flats, South Padre Island, Texas. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 IF-ED lens on a Nikon D7100 camera. (Date: September 13, 2018)

[Length 9 in. Wingspan 20 in.]

This Least Tern was photographed at Quivira NWR, Stafford, Kansas. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 IF-ED lens on a Nikon D7100 camera. (Date: May 12, 2019)

[Length 9 in. Wingspan 20 in.]

This Least Tern in flight was photographed at the Rt. 48 Boat Ramp, Port Isabel, Texas. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens on a Nikon D7100 camera. (Date: July 11, 2019)

[Length 9 in. Wingspan 20 in.]

Least Terns breed along the eastern and southwestern coasts of the US, and along the major rivers in the central US. Their habit of nesting on open beaches along the coasts has decreased their numbers due to habitat loss and disturbance. This pair was photographed during a courtship display at a traditional nesting site at Longport, New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a 750 f5.6 Celestron mirror lens on Ektachrome 200 film pushed to 400. (Date: June 1988)