The first Little Tern Sterna albifrons in Yemen
| WHILE SEARCHING THROUGH large numbers of terns and waders on the beach at Al Fazzah, on the south-west coast of Yemen, on 1 April 1998, we counted over 400 Saunders's Tern Sterna saundersi. This exceeds the previous highest count; 150 at Hodeidah on 18 April 1980 (Brooks et al. 1987). Among c. 20 Saunders's Terns feeding in the surf at close range (5-20 metres away) we noticed a different bird. It had a more extensive white forehead than the Saunders's Terns, extending beyond the eye toward the nape. This bird, along with most of the Saunders's Terns, was in full summer plumage. Further examination revealed other differences: a wholly white rump and tail contrasting with the pale grey mantle. The Saunders's Terns had a concolourous pale grey triangle extending across the rump and tail from the mantle. The bird also had much reduced black in the primaries, only the outermost primary appeared black (although probably the outer two primaries were black), whereas the outer three primaries of the Saunders's Terns were black. These features confirmed the identification as an adult summer plurnaged Little Tern Sterna albifrons first Yemen record (Porter et al .1996a,b). No perceivable difference in the mantle coloration. of the two species was noted, often a useful feature in separating Little and Saunders's Terns in the Red Sea area; however, it was close to midday, cloudless and the light was thus very strong. In addition, no call was heard.
A probable Little Tern was observed at Ras Kathib, Hodeidah on 31 March 1998, but its identification could not be confirmed before we were asked to leave by the military authorities. It seems likely that other Little Terns would have been present among the flock of Saunders's Terns, but the observation time was limited. Little Tern breeds in east Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan and Turkey, wintering south to southern Africa and occurs on passage in small numbers through much of coastal Arabia (Olsen & Larsson 1995, Porter et al. 1996a), making its occurrence in Yemen unsurprising.
BROOKS, D. J., EVANS, M. I., MARTINS, R. P. AND PORTER, R. F. (1987)
The status or birds in north Yemen and the records of the OSME expedition in autumn 1985.
Sandgrouse 9: 4-66.
Phil Hansbro, c/o Dept. of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road,
Cambridge, U.K. |
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