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Black Tern
Small compact terns that are present in our area from May through September. Body length 8 1/2" to 9 1/2" with a wing span of 26".
Black terns breed in Canada and in northern U.S. states on inland marshes and prairie sloughs and spend winter along the coasts from Panama to Chile with flocks numbering into the thousands congregating offshore. Exhibits a playful and erratic flight pattern with frequent dips towards the water's surface. The black individuals are adult males still in summer breeding plumage while the others include females, juveniles and males that have already gone into winter plumage. Large numbers are present on Gulf beaches during September; when the first cold front comes through they are gone. A long time favorite of mine, black terns follow shoals of dusky anchovies, feeding on them and allowing human fishers to know the anchovies are present in good number. What makes this a big deal is that the same dusky anchovy appears to be a preferred food source for tarpon. So, for the big game angler seeking tarpon, the black tern is his #1 ally.
Black terns breed in Canada and in northern U.S. states on inland marshes and prairie sloughs and spend winter along the coasts from Panama to Chile with flocks numbering into the thousands congregating offshore. Exhibits a playful and erratic flight pattern with frequent dips towards the water's surface. The black individuals are adult males still in summer breeding plumage while the others include females, juveniles and males that have already gone into winter plumage. Large numbers are present on Gulf beaches during September; when the first cold front comes through they are gone. A long time favorite of mine, black terns follow shoals of dusky anchovies, feeding on them and allowing human fishers to know the anchovies are present in good number. What makes this a big deal is that the same dusky anchovy appears to be a preferred food source for tarpon. So, for the big game angler seeking tarpon, the black tern is his #1 ally.