least tern
noun
: a very small black-capped tern (Sterna antillarum) with a white body and forehead that is found chiefly in coastal areas of eastern North America and California
Examples of least tern in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
New requirements to avoid construction during the Californian least tern nesting season, from April 15 to July 31, have extended the project’s schedule from two-and-a-half years to four years, also adding to the cost.
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Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2024
Federal agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service, monitor the effect of the blasts on such animals as sea otters, bats, western snowy plovers, California least terns and California red-legged frogs.
—Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2024
Three species of sea turtles nest at the park, brain coral abound, and both endangered brown pelicans and threatened least terns call it home.
—Melissa Locker, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2024
Care will be taken to avoid grunion runs and least tern nesting areas.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024
California least tern Head to Mission Bay for a chance to see the California least tern, the world’s second smallest tern at about 9 inches long.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2024
The sea turtles are nesting and so are shorebirds such as snowy plovers, Wilson’s plovers and least terns.
—Robin Soslow, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
Signs also warn that the area is a habitat for the plover and the least tern.
—Saumya Gupta, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2023
Thomas said the least terns have an innate fear of predators such as dogs, and that being chased by them reinforces that fear.
—Saumya Gupta, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2023
Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2024
Federal agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service, monitor the effect of the blasts on such animals as sea otters, bats, western snowy plovers, California least terns and California red-legged frogs.
—Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2024
Three species of sea turtles nest at the park, brain coral abound, and both endangered brown pelicans and threatened least terns call it home.
—Melissa Locker, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2024
Care will be taken to avoid grunion runs and least tern nesting areas.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024
California least tern Head to Mission Bay for a chance to see the California least tern, the world’s second smallest tern at about 9 inches long.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2024
The sea turtles are nesting and so are shorebirds such as snowy plovers, Wilson’s plovers and least terns.
—Robin Soslow, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
Signs also warn that the area is a habitat for the plover and the least tern.
—Saumya Gupta, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2023
Thomas said the least terns have an innate fear of predators such as dogs, and that being chased by them reinforces that fear.
—Saumya Gupta, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'least tern.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Least tern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/least%20tern. Accessed 8 Jun. 2024.
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