How to Use least tern in a Sentence

least tern

noun
Definition of least ternnext
  • Signs also warn that the area is a habitat for the plover and the least tern.
    — Saumya Gupta, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2023
  • There are three populations of least terns in the United States.
    — Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2019
  • The interior least tern was once hunted for feathers for hats and hurt by the damming of major rivers.
    — Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2019
  • 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
  • The day before, a drone went down in Bolsa Chica near nesting sites of the California least tern and the snowy plover.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2021
  • In 2018 volunteers found dozens of least tern eggs stacked in piles, moved out of the way for a volleyball game in Alabama.
    — Lisa J. Huriash, sun-sentinel.com, 5 July 2021
  • Work in the wetlands is prohibited from early spring to mid-fall, which is nesting season for protected species of birds such as the snowy plover and the least tern.
    — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Aug. 2022
  • The group pointed out that the Dowses Beach estuarine system shelters at least two species of vulnerable birds – plovers and the least tern.
    — James Freeman, WSJ, 19 Dec. 2022
  • The islands also are used as nesting sites by least terns, Forster’s terns, oystercatchers and other waterbirds.
    — Shannon Tompkins, Houston Chronicle, 10 May 2018
  • Environmental groups raised concerns that unleashed canines could cause harm to rare and at-risk western snowy plovers and California least terns that roost nearby.
    — Hillary Davis, Daily Pilot, 6 Sep. 2019
  • Of those species, 23 have special status, including the California least tern and Ridgway’s rail, which are endangered, and the Western snowy plover, which is classified as threatened.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2021
  • The island is a key spot for least tern nesting, said Andrew Meyer, conservation director for the Audubon Society’s local chapter.
    — David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Oct. 2019
  • Birds that use the island as a stopover include the American oystercatcher, for which the Boston Harbor Islands are one of their northernmost breeding sites, and the islands host several colonial nesting species, such as the least tern.
    — Cheryl Maguire, Washington Post, 22 July 2022
  • Wetlands are widely valued as natural pollution filters and as habitat for endangered species such as the Yuma clapper rail, whooping crane and least tern.
    — Elizabeth Svoboda, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2015
  • For birders, this beach is heaven — home to elusive and endangered species such as the California least tern — especially because it's located across from a 114-acre wetland reserve.
    — Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2023
  • Another reason some boats aren’t immediately destroyed and removed is that such work is prohibited part of the year by environmental protections in place for a bird called the California least tern.
    — David Garrick, sandiegouniontribune.com, 11 Oct. 2017
  • Piping plovers, least terns, American oystercatchers, herons and egrets are particularly vulnerable.
    — USA TODAY, 3 July 2019

Some of 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.

Last Updated: