Addo Elephant National Park
Eastern Cape · Year-round
5 places
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Little Tern
Sternula albifrons
The little tern (Sternula albifrons) is a seabird of the family, Laridae.
Species insights
When to visit
Most records Nov to Mar
When Little Tern sightings peak, from open records. Outside these months it is seen less often, not never.
Best monthsNov to Mar
Recorded in Eastern Cape~22 records
Curve from 155 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property and not from this province. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Where you'll find it
KwaZulu-Natal and beyond
Provinces where Little Tern is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
155 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Little Tern
Stays that give back
Across the Eastern Cape
Storms River Mouth Rest Camp (Tsitsikamma)
Garden Route National Park
From R 457a night
Little Tern recorded here
Langebos Huts
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 2,093a night
Little Tern recorded here
Spekboom Tented Rest Camp
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 1,490a night
Little Tern recorded here
Nyathi Rest Camp
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 2,901a night
Little Tern recorded here
Matyholweni Rest Camp
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 2,426a night
Little Tern recorded here
Addo Rest Camp
Addo Elephant National Park
From R 461a night
Little Tern recorded here
More stays nearby
Cycads On Sea
St Francis Bay
From R 2,460a night
Aasvogelkrans Farm Cottages & Camping
Nieu Bethesda
From R 1,760a night
Birder friendly
Pabala Private Nature Reserve
Hankey
From R 485a night
Birder friendly
Lupus Den Country House
Sundays River Valley, Addo
From R 2,600a night
Forest Hall Guest House
Walmer, Port Elizabeth
From R 1,050a night
Kwandwe Melton Manor
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Price on request
GweGwe Beach Lodge
Mkambati Nature Reserve
From R 12,950a night
Quatermain's Camp
Paterson
From R 11,592a night
Kwandwe Great Fish River Lodge
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Price on request
Karoo Cottage - Sneeuberg Nature Reserve
Sneeuberg Nature Reserve, Nieu Bethesda
From R 3,100a night
Hlosi Game Lodge
Amakhala Game Reserve
From R 4,000a night
Kwandwe Uplands Homestead
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Price on request
Hitgeheim Country Lodge Addo
Sundays River Valley, Addo
From R 2,000a night
Karoo Secret Farm Stay
Aberdeen
From R 1,200a night
Birder friendly
Kwandwe Fort House
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Price on request
Walkerbouts Inn - Rhodes
Rhodes
From R 600a night
Birder friendly
Kwandwe Ecca Lodge
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
Price on request
Mountain Zebra National Park
Mountain Zebra National Park
From R 449a night
The Garden Route
Next stop
Forests, lagoons, and Knysna's sheltered bay
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Little Tern
Hosts have recorded the Little Tern at stays in or beside Addo Elephant National Park and Tsitsikamma National Park.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
IUCN Red List
Least Concern
Species
Sternula albifrons
Records
155
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Little Tern on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Little Tern in Eastern Cape?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Little Tern at stays in or beside Addo Elephant National Park and Tsitsikamma National Park. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Little Tern in South Africa?
The Little Tern is most recorded in KwaZulu-Natal (68% of records), Western Cape (18% of records), Eastern Cape (14% of records), based on 155 iNaturalist observations. 6 places to stay on Spekboom in Eastern Cape have recorded the Little Tern on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Little Tern?
Sightings of the Little Tern peak from Nov to Mar, based on 155 iNaturalist records. You may still see it outside those months, sightings are just less frequent.
What is the conservation status of the Little Tern?
The Little Tern (Sternula albifrons) is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Little Tern?
The little tern (Sternula albifrons) is a seabird of the family, Laridae. It was formerly placed into the genus Sterna, which now is restricted to the large white terns. The genus name is a diminutive of Sterna, "tern". The specific albifrons is from Latin albus, "white", and "frons", forehead.