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Black Tern

This tern is distinctive, especially in summer plumage when the black head and body, short, slightly notched tail, slate-gray wings, combined with the erratic flight, tells us it has to be a Black Tern. In winter plumage these birds have white heads and bodies with backs and wings darker than other terns. They show dark spots around the eyes and back of neck. In fall migration you find birds of this species in various stages of dress, but there are usually a few which carry enough black to give a clue to their identity.

They nest in inland marshes and around lakes, forming loose colonies on favorite nesting sites. Floating vegetation, muskrat houses, in fact most any structure strong enough to support a nest is used.

Author

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Introduction to Our Bird Friends, Volume 1, by Lenwood Ballard Carson
Published 1954

Posted on

Wednesday 8 July 2020

Dimensions

531*893

Tags

Birds

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• Natural History / Birds

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