The Little Tern breeds in smaller colonies and lays its eggs in a shallow scrape directly on open sand or fine gravel, often near the water's edge. The clutch normally comprises 2–3 eggs, which both parents incubate. The eggs and newly hatched young are well camouflaged but nonetheless very exposed — the nests are threatened by disturbance from bathers and loose dogs, by high water and by predators. Fencing and area protection during the breeding season are therefore important conservation measures for this scarce species.