Little Terns hovering before plunge-diving

Lena Chow was at Singapore’s Serangoon Reservoir on the morning of 24th July 2011 when she saw several Little Terns (Sterna albifrons) hovering above the water before diving down to catch fish.

Lena document this hovering behaviour on video, below:

According to Gochfeld & Burger (1996), Little Terns “Feeds mainly by plunge-diving from up to 10 m, often preceded by prolonged hovering. Occasionally performs surface-dipping and aerial hawking.”

Lena Chow
Singapore
July 2011

Reference:
Gochfeld, M. & J. Burger, 1996. Family Sternidae (Terns). In: del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott & J. Sargatal (eds.) Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 3. Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx Editions, Barcelona. Pp. 624-667.