Lesser Noddy

Anous tenuirostris (Temminck, 1823)

Lesser Noddy, Anous tenuirostris, is a seabird in the family Laridae that breeds across the tropical and subtropical Indian Ocean, from the Seychelles and Mascarenes through Chagos and the Maldives, with populations also on Houtman Abrolhos Islands and Ashmore Reef. Outside the breeding season it reaches east Africa, the Comoros and northern Madagascar. It was first described by Temminck in 1823. The species is smaller and a little paler than the Black Noddy, and it has pale lores rather than dark ones.

Order

Charadriiformes

Family

Laridae — Gulls, Terns, Skimmers

Breeding range

Indian Ocean: tropical and subtropical Indian Ocean is. from Seychelles and Mascarenes to Chagos and Maldives (wc Indian Ocean) and Houtman Abrolhos Is. (w of WA, w Australia) and Ashmore Reef (nw of Australia; race?)

Nonbreeding range

to e Africa, Comoros and n Madagascar