Least Terns are nesting at Matanzas Inlet now. Jack and Carol Ogden (photographer) had fun observing them courting on May 2. The male bird caught a tiny fish, then pursued the female shaking his head and waggling his fish back and forth like a lure. Apparently his charms were too difficult to resist, and the female capitulated.  We can only assume that baby terns are on the way.  Our smallest tern, the Least Tern has relatively long, very narrow wings, a short tail, a long, slightly decurved and tapered bill and, of course, the white forehead patch.  They are threatened in Florida, mostly because of loss of nesting habitat. It is estimated that 70% of Least Terns in Florida have resorted to nesting on the gravel topped roofs of buildings.

Least Terns are colonial nesters, meaning they nest in groups, the size of which can range from only a few birds to hundreds of nests.  Those birds nesting on the beach, make a slight "scape" in the sand to lay their beige colored, speckled eggs which are so well camouflaged that beach goers often walk or drive on them.  Adults incubate the eggs for 21 days.  The chicks leave the nest within a few days of hatching, but cannot fly until for about three weeks.  Even when the nest itself is not damaged by people or vehicles, animals or beach goers walking close by disturb the adults who leave the nest, exposing the eggs or chicks to the hot sun and predation.  For this reason, nest colonies are often fenced off with warning signs to give the nests a wide berth.