The late spring is an excellent time to see terns of various species around
Jubail. The most common tern in late spring is the Little Tern. In the Eastern
Province the Little Tern is a common passage migrant and summer visitor that is
scarce in the winter. Care must be taken not to confuse it with the very
similar Saunder’s Tern that also occurs in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia
in the summer and breeds on offshore islands. It has bred in freshwater and
brackish areas of eastern Saudi Arabia and possibly the Red Sea also. Birds are
scarce inland but have been recorded in all areas including Riyadh. As the
summer wears on White-cheeked Tern becomes much commoner with hundreds of birds
seen daily. Caspian Tern is also seen in small numbers seen rarely exceed ten.
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| Little Tern |
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| Little Tern |
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| Little Tern |
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| Caspian Tern |
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| Caspian Tern |
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| White-cheeked Tern |
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| White-cheeked Tern |