Wildlife

Interior least tern

Sternula antillarum athalassos
Habitat
In area now between Blair, NE and Modale, IA
Conservation
Imperiled
First Observed
1804-08-05

The species was prevalent on Missouri until early 1900s. Loss of open sand bars for nesting led to endangered status.

Recent sightings

Where it’s being seen today

2 research-grade iNaturalist observations between 2021–2025. Most recent: 2025-05-17. Sourced from Terrain360 trail captures, cached locally.

Journal References

15 journal entries mention Interior least tern

Jun 29 1805
Great Falls Portage — Joseph Whitehouse: June 29, 1805
...ble of ceeder on the Islands and along the Shores. in the afternoon we passed a large plain on the N.S. the prickley pear abound on it. Saw otter and beaver in grea...
Jun 30 1805
Great Falls Portage — Joseph Whitehouse: June 30, 1805
... Side of the River & looks pleasant and extensive. in the afternoon we entered in to Some rough rockey hills which we expect from the Indian account is the commence...
Aug 14 1805
Lewis: August 14, 1805
...ich he informed me represented the vast mountains of rock eternally covered with snow through which the river passed. that the perpendicular and even juting rock...
Aug 19 1805
Lewis: August 19, 1805
...cue is formed with throngs of dressed lather or Otterskin aternately crossing each other. at present most of them have cut short in the neck in consequence of the...
Sep 1 1805
North Fork Salmon River, impassable route — Joseph Whitehouse: September 1, 1805
...errys which are verry Sweet and good at this time. in the afternoon we descended a Mountain nearly as Steep as the roof of a house. went down in to the valley in wh...
Jun 15 1806
Bitterroot crossing attempt, turned back by snow — Patrick Gass: June 15, 1806
...er. We had rain at intervals during the forenoon, but the afternoon was clear. LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION — 245 We encamped ina small glade where there was plenty...
Jun 16 1806
Bitterroot crossing attempt, turned back by snow — Patrick Gass: June 16, 1806
...t two hours proceeded on again, and had some rain. In the afternoon we found the snow banks more numerous, extensive and deep: in some of them the snow was as much ...
Jun 17 1806
Bitterroot crossing attempt, turned back by snow — Patrick Gass: June 17, 1806
...ng out, and the shrubs budding. It rained hard during the afternoon. . WV ednesday 18th. The morning was cloudy and several showers of rain fell during the day. We ...
Jun 25 1806
Successful Bitterroot crossing with Nez Perce guides — Patrick Gass: June 25, 1806
...ht. A considerable quantity of rain had fallen during the afternoon.
Jun 26 1806
Patrick Gass: June 26, 1806
...e all night. Some heavy showers of rain had fallen in the afternoon.
Jun 28 1806
Successful Bitterroot crossing with Nez Perce guides — Patrick Gass: June 28, 1806
...good place of grass; where we halted and remained all the afternoon to let our horses feed, as they had but little grass last night. Some hunters went out, as we sa...
Jun 30 1806
Travelers' Rest - party splits: Lewis north, Clark south — Patrick Gass: June 30, 1806
...ined on the 12th of Sept. 1805, as we passed over to the Western ocean. After dinner we proceeded on, and on our way found three deer that one of the hunters had ki...
Jul 28 1806
Lewis/Clark descending Missouri/Yellowstone to reunion — Patrick Gass: July 28, 1806
...and lasted about an hour, after which we had a cloudy wet afternoon, and in the evening we encamped about twenty five miles below the forks.
Jul 29 1806
Lewis/Clark descending Missouri/Yellowstone to reunion — Patrick Gass: July 29, 1806
...g dined we proceeded on again, and in our way, during the afternoon, killed seven more of these mountain sheep. There are few other animals in this range of high co...
Jul 31 1806
Lewis/Clark descending Missouri/Yellowstone to reunion — Patrick Gass: July 31, 1806
...o mules and twelve other deer, and two beaver. Though the afternoon was wet and disagreeable, we came 70 miles to day.

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