Least Tern (Sternula antillarum), 10 miles east of Yuma, Yuma County

This Least Tern was photographed by Henry Detwiler on 01 September 2020.

Least Tern is very rare in Yuma County, with about five or six previous county records. This species has become a rare but regular spring "migrant" in southern Arizona. There have been only a few other August records for the state, and this record appears to be the first September record for the state.

Note that his individual is in juvenile plumage, with a dark mask, a black bill, darl outer webbing to all the flight feathers, and dark mottling on the back. Most of the previous Arizona records were of adults.

01 September 2020, photo by Henry Detwiler