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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Laridae
  4. ›
  5. Anous
  6. ›
  7. Lesser Noddy

BirdUp · Species

Lesser Noddy

Anous tenuirostris(Temminck, 1823)

Conservation status: VulnerableOrigin: Native
Order
CHARADRIIFORMES
Family
Laridae
Genus
Anous

At a glance

The Lesser Noddy is a medium-sized bird, about 29–34 cm long, listed as Vulnerable and native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
29–34 cm
Conservation status
Vulnerable
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Rare
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Lesser Noddy look like?

The Lesser Noddy is a medium-sized bird, about 29–34 cm long.

The lesser noddy is a small seabird in the family Laridae. In Australia, it breeds primarily in the Houtman Abrolhos Islands and Ashmore Reef, nesting in mangroves and shrubs.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
29–34 cm
Wingspan
58 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Lesser Noddy?

The Lesser Noddy is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Lesser Noddy eat?

The Lesser Noddy feeds on fish/invertebrates, usually foraging in flocks.

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Lesser Noddy live in Australia?

The Lesser Noddy is native to Australia, recorded across 6 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingTropical and subtropical Indian Ocean is. from Seychelles and Mascarenes to Chagos and Maldives (west-central Indian Ocean) and Houtman Abrolhos Is. (west of WA, west Australia) and Ashmore Reef (north-west of Australia; race?)

Non-breedingTo east Africa, Comoros and north Madagascar

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Vagrant
  • Breeding

2 regions recorded