Black Tern
Chlidonias niger (Linnaeus, 1758)
BJ
BLATE
6270
Family: Charadriiformes > Laridae
This delicate marsh tern once nested in Britain in large colonies, but these disappeared as wetland areas were drained; it is now an annual visitor from Europe.
Select a topic for more facts and statistics about the Black Tern
44k records
BTO RECORDS
Identification
Black Tern identification is often straightforward.
SONGS AND CALLS
Listen to example recordings of the main vocalisations of Black Tern, provided by xeno-canto contributors.
Call
Develop your bird ID skills with our training courses
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Population size and trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO surveys and atlases with data collected by BTO volunteers.
CONSERVATION STATUS
This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.
| UK Birds of Conservation Concern | Green listed |
| Species of European Conservation Concern | Least Concern |
| IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global) |
Least Concern 
|
| Schedule 1 license required (to disturb) | Yes |
| Birds Directive Annex 1 | Yes |
|
Listed on the Annexes of
|
WCA(I), WBD(I), Bern(III), Bonn(II*), AEWA |
POPULATION SIZE
| BOU Category | A |
|
First Record
|
1544 |
DISTRIBUTION
Black Terns are regular migrants and large spring influxes can occur if birds heading to continental breeding grounds are forced west by easterly winds. Passage birds were widely recorded during the 2007–11 breeding atlas. Black Terns last bred in Britain in 1978 and in Ireland in 1975.
-
Britain and Ireland Breeding Distribution 2008-2011.
More from the Atlas Mapstore. -
Britain and Ireland Winter Distribution 2008-2011.
More from the Atlas Mapstore.
Occupied 10-km squares in UK
| No. occupied in winter | 4 |
| % occupied in winter | 0.1 |
European Distribution Map
DISTRIBUTION CHANGE
-
Britain and Ireland Breeding Distribution Change 1968–72 to 2008–11.
More from the Atlas Mapstore. -
Britain and Ireland Winter Distribution Change 1981–84 to 2007–11
More from the Atlas Mapstore.
| % change in range in breeding season (1968–72 to 2008–11) | -100% |
SEASONALITY
Black Tern is a regular passage migrant in late spring and autumn.
Movement
Information about movement and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.
RINGING RECOVERIES
View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report.
Biology
Lifecycle and body size information about Black Tern, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.
PRODUCTIVITY & NESTING
|
Number of Broods
|
1 |
|
Egg Size
|
35×25 mm Weight = 11.4 g (of which 5% is shell) |
CODES & CLASSIFICATION
|
Ring size
|
B+ |
|
Field Codes
|
2-letter: BJ | 5-letter code: BLATE | Euring: 6270 |
For information in another language (where available) click on a linked name
Gaelic: Steàrnag-dhubh
Welsh: Corswennol Ddu
Catalan: fumarell negre
Czech: rybák cerný
Danish: Sortterne
Dutch: Zwarte Stern
Estonian: mustviires
Finnish: mustatiira
French: Guifette noire
German: Trauerseeschwalbe
Hungarian: kormos szerko
Icelandic: Kolþerna
Irish: Geabhróg Dhubh
Italian: Mignattino comune
Latvian: melnais zirinš
Lithuanian: juodoji žuvedra
Norwegian: Svartterne
Polish: rybitwa czarna
Portuguese: trinta-réis-negro / gaivina-preta
Slovak: corík cierny
Slovenian: crna cigra
Spanish: Fumarel común
Swedish: svarttärna
Folkname: Carr Swallow, Blue Darr
Links to more studies from ConservationEvidence.com
- Aversive conditioning to reduce raven predation on California least tern eggs
- Effect of experimental manipulation of vegetation density on nest-site selection in sooty terns
- Calcium supplementation of breeding birds: directions for future research
Read more studies about Black Tern on Conservation Evidence >
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