A typical tern nesting colony in Nebraska is comprised of three to 30 pairs of terns and one to three pairs of piping plovers. Following the breeding season, least terns gather in small flocks along rivers to feed and prepare for migration. In fall they probably follow the same migration routes that they use in spring, but their movements are less regular and more casual. In Nebraska, fall migration usually takes place from mid- or late July to early September. The interior least tern has distinct breeding and wintering areas.
Most breeding occurs on interior rivers.
They are thought to winter on beaches along the Central American coast and along the northern coast of South America from Venezuela to northeastern Brazil. Wintering least terns have been reported in Guyana, El Salvador and Guatemala. Reproduction Upon arrival in Nebraska, least terns begin to engage in aerial courtship displays. One such display, the fish fligh t, is initiated by a male carrying a small fish and calling as he flies. One or two other least terns, presumably female, join him in a fast, high-flying spectacle.