Black Tern (BLTE)

Identification

The Black Tern is a small, dark tern that is largely black and gray in its breeding plumage. When breeding, the Black Tern has a dark slate gray belly and back while the breast, head, and neck are black. Both the upper and under wings are gray as well as the tail. The undertail coverts and feathers surrounding the vent are white, and the species has a black beak with blackish-red feet. Females in their breeding plumage are similar, though slightly lighter in color. The nonbreeding adult is a pale gray above and white below with a white head. On the side of the breast, there is a distinctive black patch. On the crown, in front of the eye, and behind the eye, the Black Tern has a black patch that grows darker as it approaches the eye. Juvenile Black Terns appear similar to the adult nonbreeding Black Tern, though they have a pale brown forehead and shoulders.

Black Terns’ contact calls are largely made up of kiks and kips. Advertising calls are made up of kyew, kyew-dik, and kyew-dik-dik. Agonistic calls of the Black Tern begin as a sharp kik or keek when alarmed and lengthens to a kreea as the danger approaches. The adult begging call is a rapid, high-pitched eew used by adult females during copulation and when soliciting food. This begging call is also used by adult males occasionally, though the context for why is unknown.

Listen to its song and call here.