Black Tern
Courtship of the male Black Tern includes lofty corkscrew moves, rising to about 40 to 50 feet, then fashioning a bold downward swoop. Once a male attained his lofty height a curious female tern may accompany him on the downward effortless glide. The prospective male terns regularly bring little fish to the female, promised as a favor for their future union. The Black Tern is monogamous, and breeds at 2 years of age. In the breeding season, this tern has a black head, neck and stomach with generally dark plumage.
During the mating season, the black terns eat insects like damselflies and dragonflies, grubs and larvae, small fresh water fish, snails, mussels and other soft bodied animals. The remainder of the time, they generally eat small fish like anchovies, silver sides and plankton. The average fish taken during breeding season is about 1 1/4 inches long and weighs about 1/2 ounce.
When producing young, Black Terns may associate with Forster's Terns (Sterna forsteri), whose noisy, forceful stand of nest protection is useful to Black Terns that are not as big and less assertive towards predators. When protecting their terrain or nests the Black Tern takes flight, making noisy calls. Frequently many Black terns will join in this loud and noisy activity to protect the nest sites. Some birds might try to dive-bomb an invader. People nearing the nest site of the tern may suffer a headache because these birds attack humans that stray to close to the nests.
When building their nest the tern seeks dense vegetation, water nearby and protective cover. The most successful nests were built on higher ground and had more protective cover to protect the young from predators robbing the nest and protection from inclement weather. Birds will return to the same breeding areas year after year, often very close to where they were born. Some bird watcher discovered nests placed on hard ground or a muskrat house.
The female Black Tern lays three short oval, smooth and glossy eggs 1 1/4 inches by one inch. The eggs are dark olive, brown-spotted eggs, and both the male and female incubate the eggs for about 20 days. The young remain with the parents for about 25 days before fledging. The pair of terns usually have one brood each year but in the southern climates they may have two.
Black terns feed on insects that possibly could harm people. The chicks eat
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