Editing Lesser crested tern

{{Short description|Species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Lesser_crested_terns_(Thalasseus_bengalensis)_by_Shantanu_Kuveskar.jpg
| image_caption = A pair of Lesser crested terns ''Thalasseus bengalensis'' from Akshi Beach, [[Maharashtra]], [[India]]
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2018 |title=''Thalasseus bengalensis'' |volume=2018 |page=e.T22694561A132560333 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22694561A132560333.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
| genus = Thalasseus
| species = bengalensis
| authority = ([[Rene Primevere Lesson|Lesson]], 1831)
| synonyms = ''Sterna bengalensis'' <small>Lesson, 1831</small>
}}

The '''lesser crested tern''' ('''''Thalasseus bengalensis''''')<ref name=Bridge>Bridge, E. S.; Jones, A. W. & Baker, A. J. (2005). [http://www2.hawaii.edu/~khayes/Journal_Club/summer2006/Bridge_et_al_2005_MPE.pdf A phylogenetic framework for the terns (Sternini) inferred from mtDNA sequences: implications for taxonomy and plumage evolution] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060720204025/http://www2.hawaii.edu/~khayes/Journal_Club/summer2006/Bridge_et_al_2005_MPE.pdf |date=2006-07-20 }}. ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' '''35''': 459–469.</ref> is a [[tern]] in the family [[Laridae]].

==Etymology==
The genus name is from [[Ancient Greek]] ''Thalasseus'', "fisherman" from ''thalassa'', "sea". The specific ''bengalensis'' means "of [[Bengal]]", the [[Type (biology)#type locality|type locality]], historically referring to much of northern [[India]] and [[Bangladesh]].<ref name=job>{{cite book | last= Jobling | first= James A | year= 2010| title= The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | url= https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling | publisher= Christopher Helm | location = London | isbn = 978-1-4081-2501-4 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling/page/n69 69]–70, 383}}</ref>

==Distribution==

It breeds in subtropical coastal parts of the world mainly from the [[Red Sea]] across the [[Indian Ocean]] to the western [[Pacific]], and [[Australia]], with a significant population on the southern coast of the [[Mediterranean]] on two islands off the [[Libya]]n coast. Accidental breeding has also been reported in Italy and France. The Australian birds are probably sedentary, but other populations are [[bird migration|migratory]], wintering south to [[South Africa]].

==Subspecies==
This [[bird]] has three geographical [[subspecies]], differing mainly in size and minor plumage details:<ref name="IOC">{{cite web | title=Noddies, skimmers, gulls, terns, skuas, auks – IOC World Bird List | website=IOC World Bird List – Version 14.2 | date=2024-08-17 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/bow/gulls/ | access-date=2025-01-15}}</ref><ref name="HBW">{{cite book | last=Hoyo | first=Josep del | last2=Elliott | first2=Andrew | last3=Sargatal | first3=Jordi | title=Handbook of the Birds of the World: Hoatzin to auks | publisher=Lynx edicions | publication-place=Barcelona | date=1992 | isbn=84-87334-20-2 | language=de | page=}}</ref>
* ''T. b. emigratus'' <small>([[Oscar Neumann|Neumann]], 1934)</small>: breeding in the [[Mediterranean]] on islands off the coast of [[Libya]], wintering [[West Africa]]. Pale grey above (only marginally darker than [[Sandwich tern]]); slightly larger.
* ''T. b. bengalensis'' <small>([[Rene Primevere Lesson|Lesson]], 1831)</small>: northern [[Indian Ocean]], wintering to [[South Africa]]. Medium-dark grey above; slightly smaller.
* ''T. b. torresii'' <small>([[John Gould|Gould]], 1843)</small>: [[Indonesia]] south to [[Queensland]], [[Australia]], wintering in the same area (birds breeding in the [[Persian Gulf]] are also often given as this race). Dark grey above; slightly larger.
<gallery mode = packed heights = 150px>
Thalasseus bengalensis, Foundiougne, Sénégal 2.jpg|''T. b. emigratus'', Senegal
Lesser Crested Tern at Kutch.jpg|''T. b. bengalensis'', Kutch, India
Lesser crested tern (Thalasseus bengalensis torresii) in flight Michaelmas Cay.jpg|''T. b. torresii'', Michaelmas Cay, Queensland
</gallery>

The Mediterranean subspecies is a rare vagrant to [[Europe]], and has bred in pure or mixed pairs (with [[Sandwich tern]]) in [[Italy]], [[Spain]] and [[England]].

This species breeds in dense colonies on coasts and islands. It nests in a ground scrape and lays one to two (rarely three) eggs. Nesting behaviour is very similar to that of [[Sandwich tern]]s, with predator avoidance by nesting in very dense colonies, and also (in ''T. b. emigratus'' at least) by nesting in the late summer when predatory [[yellow-legged gull]]s have finished breeding and departed from the nesting area.<ref name="BB87">{{cite journal |last1=Meininger |first1=Peter L. |last2=Wolf |first2=Pin A. |last3=Hadoud |first3=Dau A. |last4=Essghaier |first4=Mohamed F. A. |title=Rediscovery of Lesser Crested Terns breeding in Libya |journal=British Birds |date=1994 |volume=87 |issue=4 |pages=160-170}}</ref>
[[File:Thalasseus bengalensis MHNT.ZOO.2010.11.135.18.jpg|thumb| ''Thalasseus bengalensis'' - [[MHNT]]]]

==Description==
Like all ''Thalasseus'' terns, lesser crested tern feeds by plunge-diving for fish, usually from saline environments. It usually dives directly, and not from the "stepped-hover" favoured by [[Arctic tern]].  The offering of fish by the male to the female is part of the courtship display.

This is a medium-large tern, very similar in size and general appearance to its three very close relatives [[Sandwich tern]], [[Elegant tern]] and [[Chinese crested tern]]. The summer adult has a black cap, black legs and a long sharp orange bill. The upperwings, rump and central tail feathers are grey and the underparts white. The primary flight feathers darken during the summer. In winter, the forehead becomes white. The call is a loud grating noise like Sandwich tern.<ref name="Svensson">{{cite book | last=Svensson | first=Lars | last2=Mullarney | first2=Killian | last3=Zetterstroem | first3=Dan | title=Collins Bird Guide | publisher=William Collins | date=2023-03-16 | isbn=978-0-00-854746-2 | page=}}</ref>

The grey rump is a useful flight identification feature distinguishing it from the related species. The Elegant tern also differs in a slightly longer, slenderer bill, while Chinese crested tern differs in a black tip to the bill and Sandwich tern a black bill with a yellow tip.<ref name="Svensson"/>

Juvenile lesser crested terns resemble same-age Sandwich terns, but with a yellow-orange bill, and paler overall, with only faint dark crescents on the mantle feathers.

There are two other orange-billed terns within the range of this species, [[royal tern]] and [[Greater crested tern]]. Both are much larger and stouter-billed; royal also has a white rump and tail, while crested (which shares the grey rump) is darker overall above and has a yellower bill. See also [[orange-billed tern]].

==Conservation==
''T. bengalensis'' is one of the species to which the ''Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds'' ([[AEWA]]) applies, and one of 10 marine bird species listed in Mediterranean marine birds Action Plan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rac-spa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=154|title=Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas|website=www.rac-spa.org|access-date=23 July 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630182824/http://www.rac-spa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=154|archive-date=30 June 2017}}</ref>

In India the Lesser crested tern is protected in the [[PM Sayeed Marine Birds Conservation Reserve]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://scroll.in/article/961303/lakshadweep-gets-worlds-first-sea-cucumber-conservation-reserve-to-curb-smuggling-into-china|title=Lakshadweep gets world's first sea cucumber conservation reserve to curb smuggling into China|newspaper=Scroll|author=KA Shaji|date=13 May 2020|access-date=23 July 2020}}</ref>

[[Image:Lesser Crested Tern manly.ogg|thumb|300px|left| Manly Marina, SE Queensland, Australia with crested and Caspian terns, silver gulls and pied oystercatcher]]

[[Image:OneSandwichAmongLesserCrestedTerns.jpg|thumb|right| Many lesser crested terns with a solitary Sandwich tern clicked in  [[Kannur]], [[Kerala]], [[India]].]]

[[File:Lesser crested terns at Muzhappilangad beach.jpg|thumb|Lesser crested terns at [[Muzhappilangad beach]]]]

{{clear}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* Azafzaf, H., Etayeb, K. & Hamza, A. 2006: Report on the census of Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis in the Eastern coast of Libya. (1–7 August 2006). Unpublished report to Regional Activities Centre/Special Protected Areas (MAP/UNEP), Environment General Agency (Libya) and African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (UNEP/AEWA). 18 pp with map and four Appendices.
* Baker N.E (1984). Lesser Crested Tern in Bengazi, Libya. Bull. Orn. Soc. Middle East.
* Hamza, A.,  H. Azafzaf, N. Baccetti, E.M. Bourass, J. J.Borg, P. Defos du Rau, A. Saied, J. Sultana, M. Zenatello (2008) Report on census and ringing of Lesser Crested Tern in Libya (2-10 Aug. 2007), with a preliminary inventory of Libyan islands. UNEP-MAP-RAC/SPA and EGA. Tech. Report.
* Meininger, Peter L., Pim A. Wolf, Dan A. Hadoud and Mohamed F. A. Essghaier (1994) Rediscovery of Lesser Crested Tern breeding in Libya ''[[British Birds (magazine)|British Birds]]'' 87(4):160-170.
* Moltoni E. (1938). Escursione ornitologica all’Isola degli Uccelli (Golfo della Gran Sirte, Cirenaica). Riv. Ital. Orn 8 : 1-16.

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Thalasseus bengalensis}}
{{Wikispecies|Sterna bengalensis}}
* Lesser crested tern - [http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/325.pdf Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q18839}}

[[Category:Thalasseus|lesser crested tern]]
[[Category:Birds of North Africa]]
[[Category:Birds of Australia]]
[[Category:Birds of Indonesia]]
[[Category:Birds of the Maldives]]
[[Category:Birds of the Arabian Peninsula]]
[[Category:Wintering birds of Africa]]
[[Category:Wintering birds of Indomalaya]]
[[Category:Birds described in 1831|lesser crested tern]]
[[Category:Taxa named by René Lesson]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]