Little Tern (Sterna albifrons)

Last but not least in my series of terns' photos is the Little Tern (Sterna albifrons). At 22cm - 25cm it is the smallest tern as compared to other terns such as White-Winged and Whiskered Tern. There are probably three (3) common ways which you could use to identify this little tern:

i)  From its long and very sharp pointed bill.

ii) From its rapid wing beats (like a Black-Winged Kite) in mid air.

iii) From its smaller size.

At times they do also rest on mudflats/shore but seldom seen them "floating" on debris in the sea.

If you could enlarge this photo you could see its fifth rectrices (p5) which is just like a thin filament. I don't see such feature in other terns so far (see photo below).

Little Tern in breeding colors (below)

HAPPY BIRDING !