30 June 2022

Little Tern young – Jubail

Whilst birding the Jubail area I came across the breeding Little Terns now with a number of fairly well grown young. Some were resting on the muddy edge of some sabkha and two were large enough to fly although a bot unsteadily. In the Eastern Province the Little Tern is a common passage migrant and summer breeding visitor that is scarce in the winter. It has bred in freshwater and brackish areas of eastern Saudi Arabia and possibly the Red Sea also. Birds are scarce inland but have been recorded in all areas including Riyadh. As the two young could not fly well I was able to move the car quite close and obtain the below photos.