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BLACK TERN FACTS |
Description
The Black Tern is a rare vagrant to Australia. The breeding plumage has grey back, grey wings, black body. The non breeding plumage has grey back, grey wings, white neckband and grey head cap which extends down to the ears. The legs are short and bill is black. Juveniles are similar to non breeding adults but more streaked on the back. It is similar to White-winged Black Tern, but breeding adult has darker wings, and non breeding adult lacks black patch around the ears.
Other Names
Australian Songlark
Size
25 cm
Habitat
freshwater marshes
Food
insects, fish, frogs
Breeding
The nest is built on floating vegetation or on the ground near water. The female lays 2 to 4 eggs.
Range
The Black Tern found in Europe and North America is a rare vagrant to Australia with a few sightings from east coast of New South Wales.
Credits:
Map is from Atlas of Living Australia website at https://biocache.ala.org.au licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Classification
| Class: | Aves | | Order: | Charadriiformes | | Family: | Laridae | | Genus: | Chlidonias | | Species: | niger | | Common Name: | Black Tern |
Relatives in same Genus
Whiskered Tern (C. hybridus)
White-winged Black Tern (C. leucopterus)
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