Gulls and terns · Shorebirds
Black Tern
Link copied.
Chlidonias niger
Link copied.
Voice
Call
Alarm
Call
How to recognize it
-
Smaller than a pigeon
-
Adults in breeding plumage: black head, breast and belly, grey upperparts and white forewing
-
Outside the breeding season, black is mostly replaced by grey, except for the cap
-
Erratic flight with swoops to the water surface; high-pitched call "kik"
About the species
In breeding plumage, its head, chest and belly are black against a dark grey back. A white face and bright white panels on the forewings break up the dark coloring, especially in flight. After breeding, much of the black gives way to grey, though the dark cap remains above a pale brownish-grey tail.
Its flight can be erratic, with quick dips to the water as it takes prey from the surface or catches insects in the air. A high-pitched "kik" is its short call. It picks food from the water rather than plunging in after fish.
It breeds in freshwater marshes and around lakes, nesting on floating plants or on the ground close to water. Insects are a main food, along with fish and amphibians, picked from near the surface or caught in flight. After the breeding season, it migrates to coastal wintering grounds in Africa or South America.
Where to find
-
From April to September at lakes and marshes in eastern, southern, and central Europe, watch for a Black Tern snatching prey at or near the water's surface, rarely diving.
-
During the same season, scan meadows and fields for flights after terrestrial insects.
-
In May to July at the water's edge, look for small nesting colonies, with nests on floating vegetation or on the ground very close to water.
