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10

Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) German name(s): "Trauerseeschwalbe" Size: 22-26 cm; wing span: 56-68 cm Weight: 50-90 g

Europe: Family Group 10 Family Group 10 Table Great Skua Caspian Gull Great Black-backed Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull American Herring Gull European Herring Gull Yellow-legged Gull Audouin's Gull Slender-billed Gull Iceland Gull Common Gull Ring-billed Gull Black-headed Gull Bonaparte's Gull Mediterranean Gull Little Gull Sabine's Gull Black-legged Kittiwake Caspian Tern Sandwich Tern Gull-billed Tern Common Tern Arctic Tern Little Tern Forster's Tern Whiskered Tern Black Tern White-winged Black Tern Atlantic Puffin Razorbill Common Guillemot Black Guillemot Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Black Terns are small terns. The two sexes are identical, but they have different plumages during the breeding season and in eclipse. In breeding plumage the head and neck are almost black charcoal-grey, while the entire front and sides are dark-grey, except the undertail coverts, which are near-white. The back, wings (both upperwing and underwing) and rump are grey, with somewhat darker flight feathers. The primaries have thin white edges. In eclipse Black Terns are similar to many other black-and-white species of terns (see also terns in Australia and terns in Oman). The forehead, lores, nape of the neck and the entire front are white to off-white. The top of the head and the ear coverts remain dark. The back and wings are grey, with characteristic black shoulder patches. Also the rump is grey. The irises are dark-brown. The relatively long, narrow, almost straight bill is black. The short legs and feet are dark-grey.

Taxonomy, classification See Black Tern at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Black Tern is available HERE . Black Terns are a migratory species. Nominate race "niger", breed in parts of eastern Europe and mid-latitude western Asia. Their migration routes/areas are mostly the seashores from Denmark southward, along the North Sea/Atlantic coastline, through the Alps to the Mediterranean coastline and via the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean coastline down the river Nile valley and along the Red Sea coast. They winter in parts of Africa. Race "surinamensis", which is also often treated as a separate species, breeds in the northern US and most of Canada and winters on the coastlines of northern South America. In Europe, apart from a few isolated small patches, Black Terns, race "niger", breed in parts of the Benelux countries, northern Germany and northern Poland and in wetlands along the Danube River towards the Black Sea coastline and further towards Asia northward of the Caucasus mountains and the Caspian Sea. Elsewhere, in particular in coastal areas, they can be found on migration. Black Terns are "marsh terns", i.e. they breed in inland fresh water habitats. When not breeding they disperse into coastal, salt water habitats.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "niger" Several Black Terns, nominate race "niger", were spotted by D. Wilczynska and others in Biebrza National Park, Poland, in June 2016, and in wetlands along the River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, in May 2017. Another mob was found along the River Bug near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, in June 2020. J. Pires reports finding a Black Tern, nominate race "niger", at Alcochete, in the Tejo estuary, Portugal, in September 2018.

Photos

Race "niger"

ADULT

Sex unknown

BREEDING

Pair of Black Terns in breeding plumage, possibly deciding on the suitability of this location for a nest site
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Biebrza National Park, Poland, June 2016]

Lateral view of a preening Black Tern in breeding plumage, showing clearly the characteristic near-white undertail coverts
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Biebrza National Park, Poland, June 2016]

Lateral view of a Black Tern in breeding plumage landing on a patch of reeds (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, May 2017]

Lateral view of a Black Tern in breeding plumage in flight, showing clearly the basically all-grey back, rump and tail, which distinguishes the species from the similar White-winged Black Tern (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, May 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a Black Tern in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, May 2017]

Black Terns in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, May 2017]

NON-BREEDING

Lateral view of a Black Tern in non-breeding plumage in the middle of summer (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, July 2019]

Two Black Terns in non-breeding plumage, left, with for comparison two White-winged Black Terns, right, and a Black-headed Gull, front, all in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

Near-frontal view of a Black Tern starting to moult into breeding plumage hunting in submerged pasture in the floodplain of a river (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, July 2017]

Lateral views of two different phases of the wing beat of a Black Tern starting to moult into breeding plumage
(photos courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, July 2017]

Lateral view of a Black Tern in non-breeding plumage in a coastal habitat, wings up; note the characteristic grey breast patch [at the base of the wing] and the grey rump (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alcochete, Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2018]

Lateral view of a Black Tern in non-breeding plumage in a coastal habitat, wings down; note the characteristic grey breast patch [at the base of the wing] and the grey rump (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alcochete, Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Black Tern in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alcochete, Tejo estuary, Portugal, September 2018]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Apr - Jul

Eggs: 2 - 4

Incubation period: 21 - 22 days

Fledging age: 19 - 25 days

Nest building: Male & female

Incubation: Female & male

Dependent care: Female & male

Black Terns are colonial breeders and many nests may be found in relatively close proximity to each other.

Nest

Type: Basket

Material: Aquatic plants

Height above ground: N/A

Nests are usually floating platforms on water, but can be built on solid ground near water too.

Black Tern on its nest, left, while its partner is hunting nearby (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Biebrza National Park, Poland, June 2016]

(Presumably female) Black Tern, left, with its partner in attendance (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Biebrza National Park, Poland, June 2016]

(Presumably male) Black Tern, right, feeding its partner on the nest (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Biebrza National Park, Poland, June 2016]

Eggs

Size: 35 x 25 mm

Colour: Gold-ochre, with big dark-brown and black speckles

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

During the breeding season male Black Terns, left in this case, must prove to their partners that they are good providers by making them gifts of food. Although both adults take part in the incubation, this is usually a sign of the female taking on most of the incubation duties, thereby relying on the male for food.

Male Black Tern, right, bringing its partner a small fish (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Biebrza National Park, Poland, June 2016]

As soon as the transfer is complete, he is off on the hunt again (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Biebrza National Park, Poland, June 2016]

Black Terns in their natural habitat, a riverine marsh (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, May 2017]

Food, Diet

Unlike species of "white terns", Black Terns do not dive deep into water to catch their prey, but take small fish and insects in-flight from near the water's surface or from plants.

This photo demonstrates the Black Terns' hunting technique (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Biebrza National Park, Poland, June 2016]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

blktern_dw_20190519.m4a	(Poland)	Contact calls	© DW
blktern_dw_20190519_2.m4a	(Poland)	Contact calls	© DW
blktern_dw_20200531.m4a	(Poland)	Contact calls? (in flight)	© DW
blktern_dw_20200612.m4a	(Poland)	Contact calls? (mob in flight)	© DW
blktern_dw_20200612_2.m4a	(Poland)	?	© DW

More Black Tern sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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