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| − | + | [[Image:Black_Tern.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Gaga<br>Location: Henryville, [[Quebec]], [[Canada]]]] | |
;[[:Category:Chlidonias|Chlidonias]] niger | ;[[:Category:Chlidonias|Chlidonias]] niger | ||
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==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
| + | [[Image:d07_0864.jpg|thumb|350px|left|Male in flight. Photo by Nomceploom<br>Location: Wainright, [[Alberta]], [[Canada]]]] | ||
Breeding (May - ca. July): Black head, breast and belly. Uniform grey back, wings and rump/tail. White undertail. Bill black. Dark legs. | Breeding (May - ca. July): Black head, breast and belly. Uniform grey back, wings and rump/tail. White undertail. Bill black. Dark legs. | ||
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==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
| + | [[Image:d07_0865.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Male in flight. Photo by Nomceploom<br>Location: Wainright, [[Alberta]], [[Canada]]]] | ||
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The range of the Black Tern is almost worldwide. | The range of the Black Tern is almost worldwide. | ||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
Revision as of 15:52, 17 November 2008
- Chlidonias niger
Identification
Breeding (May - ca. July): Black head, breast and belly. Uniform grey back, wings and rump/tail. White undertail. Bill black. Dark legs.
Non-breeding: Underparts white, grey above. Falcon-like black hood. Characteristic black (or dark brown) line above shoulder, extending onto outer edges of breast. Legs orange/red. Bill black. Tail off-white with grey rump and upper tail coverts (white in Whitewinged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus).
Juvenile: Like non-breeding adult but with distinct buff/lighter edges to back feathers and coverts.
Distribution
The range of the Black Tern is almost worldwide.
Taxonomy
Chlidonias niger has two subspecies:
- C. n. niger; and
- C. n. surinamensis.
Habitat
Freshwater lakes, gravel pits and reservoirs, marshes, wet grassland, seacoast and estuaries.
Behaviour
The diet includes insects, invertebrates and fish.
They usually nest either on floating material in a marsh or on the ground very close to water, laying 2-4 eggs which are incubated for 21-22 days. The young fledge 19-25 days later.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Chlidonias niger (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
Lepage D. 2008. Avibase. Search for "Black Tern" downloaded 29 April 2008.
