Black Tern
Chlidonias niger
Black Terns breed in freshwater marshes across most of Canada, the northern United States and much of Europe and western Asia. Today’s taxonomists recognise two subspecies of Black Tern:
- C. n. surinamensis: Some scientists believe this subspecies should be separated into its own species. These birds breed in North America and spend winters along the coasts of Central America and northern South America.
- C. n. niger breeds in Europe and Asia and spends winters in Africa.
I enjoyed meeting these birds on South Padre Island (Texas) in the spring of 2021, while they were headed north to raise the next generation of Black Terns. Capturing images of Black Terns in flight is a tricky proposition. Their movements are so airy and buoyant; they easily pop in and out of the frame. I spent some time learning this the hard way, while visiting them on their breeding grounds at Malheur NWR in southeastern Oregon. If observation is the only goal, it is exceptionally entertaining to watch these birds forage on the wing.
Studies show that since 1966 the population of Black Terns has declined by 2% a year, reducing the overall populations by 57% between that time and 2014. Factors such as loss of habitat (draining wetlands for agriculture) and pesticide runoff seem to be the likely causes of the decline.
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertibrate Zoology in Camarillo, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:02 13:32 |
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Location:
W F V Z |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 105 mm, f/11.0, 1/0 |
File Name: D3X4755-BlackTern |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: Part of the collection at the Western Foundation of Vertibrate Zoology in Camarillo, California. |
Date Taken: 2011:11:02 13:33 |
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Location:
W F V Z |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 105 mm, f/8.0, 1/1 |
File Name: D3X4757-BlackTern |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: In flight is the usual way these birds are seen. Near the Headquarters of Malheur NWR south of Burns in eastern Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2015:06:03 11:34 |
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Location:
Visitor Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: D3X7587-BlackTern |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: In flight is the usual way these birds are seen. Near the Headquarters of Malheur NWR south of Burns in eastern Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2015:06:03 11:34 |
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Location:
Visitor Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: D3X7589-BlackTern |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: In flight is the usual way these birds are seen. Near the Headquarters of Malheur NWR south of Burns in eastern Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2015:06:03 11:35 |
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Location:
Visitor Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: D3X7626-BlackTern |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: In flight is the usual way these birds are seen. The wetlands north of Frenchglen and "The P Ranch" in Malheur NWR in eastern Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2015:06:03 17:09 |
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Location:
Center Patrol Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X8012-BlackTern |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: In flight is the usual way these birds are seen. The wetlands north of Frenchglen and "The P Ranch" in Malheur NWR in eastern Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2015:06:03 17:11 |
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Location:
Center Patrol Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X8036-BlackTern |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: Adult nonbreeding bird at the beach at Poe Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:07:06 17:50 |
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Location:
Poe Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/4000 |
File Name: JCD3202.BlackTern |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: Presumed adult, post-breeding bird at the beach at Poe Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:07:06 18:25 |
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Location:
Poe Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 |
File Name: JCD3353.BlackTern |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: Presumed adult, postbreeding bird at the beach at Poe Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:07:06 19:33 |
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Location:
Poe Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD3716.BlackTern |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: I'm guessing this bird is in transition molt from breeding to nonbreeding plumage. The beach at Poe Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:07:06 19:36 |
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Location:
Poe Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD3757.BlackTern |
| © 2009 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: Sunset fishing at the beach near Poe Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2009:07:06 19:48 |
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Location:
Poe Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: JCD3850.BlackTern |
| © 2009 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: Alamo River Delta, Salton Sea NWR and Vicinity. Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2004:08:18 11:28 |
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Location:
Fondo |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD_8820BlackTern |
| © 2004 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: Southeastern shore of the Salton Sea in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:07:26 10:24 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X6695-BlackTern |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: Southeastern shore of the Salton Sea in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:07:26 10:17 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X6658-BlackTern |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: Southeastern shore of the Salton Sea in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:07:26 10:17 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X6657-BlackTern |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
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Description: Black Terns on the sandy flats were primarily the reason I took the long walk out to meet them. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:46 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: BlackTern_D5X7688_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
|
Description: Black Terns on the sandy flats were primarily the reason I took the long walk out to meet them. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:44 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: BlackTern_D5X7664_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
|
Description: Black Terns on the sandy flats were primarily the reason I took the long walk out to meet them. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:44 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: BlackTern_D5X7662_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
|
Description: Black Terns on the sandy flats were primarily the reason I took the long walk out to meet them. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:31 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: BlackTern_D5X7584_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
|
Description: Black Terns on the sandy flats were primarily the reason I took the long walk out to meet them. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:22 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: BlackTern_D5X7454_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Black Tern(Chlidonias niger) |
|
Description: Black Terns on the sandy flats were primarily the reason I took the long walk out to meet them. I began and ended my last day on South Padre Island, visiting the grounds that treated me to so many encounters with migrant birds. Between these times I walked out to the sand flats north of the Convention Centre to look for shorebirds and terns. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:08 10:41 |
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Location:
Convention Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: BlackTern_D5X7635_SPI-ConventionCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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