Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)

County List:

Rule:

Mixed Forested/Nonforested or Nonforested Landscapes

1st alternative:
      (Lake or Pond or River)
   adjacent to:
      Marsh 2

2nd alternative:
      Marsh 2

Habitat List:

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Literature:

Habitat: This a bird of the marshes and wet meadows. Prime habitat seems to be dense emergent vegetation surrounding small pools; large expanses of open wetland are not favored for nesting. Habitat requirements of the species seem strict; birds tend to colonize and abandon marshes as changing water levels produce drier or wetter conditions.

Nests are placed in thin vegetation on floating mats of plant material in water 60 cm or more deep. Old muskrat lodges, if available are sometimes used. Forster's Terns which may occur with black terns in larger marshes, tend to use active muskrat lodges and higher platforms in general. Flooding from heavy rain and wind and predation on the eggs account for a high percentage of nest failures.

Black Terns are highly insectivorous, catching much of their food on the wing over marshes, but also over other open herbaceous vegetation.

Habitat: Coastal and inland marshes, wet meadows.

Habitat: Fresh marshes, lakes; in migration, coastal waters. For nesting favors fresh waters with extensive marsh vegetation and open water, also sometimes in smaller marshes and wet meadows. In migration, found on larger lakes and along coast.

Diet: Mostly insects, fish. Diet on breeding grounds is mostly insects, also small fish, tadpoles, frogs, spiders, earthworms, crustaceans, leeches. In migration and winter at sea, eats mostly small fish, also some crustaceans and insects.

Nest: Site is low in marsh, on floating mat of plant material, old muskrat house, or debris, or on ground close to water. Nest may be substantial platform of marsh plants, or simple depression with a few bits of vegetation added, very close to water level; eggs often damp.