Do you know the black tern?
Photo: Arne Ader
Translation: Liis
Black tern
| Black tern | Mustviires |
The time of holidays and summer trips is approaching and you might come across anybody or anything then.
In spring and summer the black tern lives up to its name, with a dark grey to black plumage, and it is nearly impossible to confuse with any other bird then. The tern-sized birds are mostly seen in vegetation-rich lakes, in bog water pools or marshes, rarely in reedy sea bays – as for instance in Matsalu. The largest number nest in south-eastern Estonia.
They are late nesters, the colonies are only forming now. The nest is built in quite deep water on floating plants and reed debris heaps, sometimes on sedge tussocks. Most often three dotted eggs are laid, which the female bird incubates a little longer than two weeks.
During the breeding period the bird are insect eaters; flying low over the water surface they catch insects in the air. In the summer there are also many living things moving on the water surface that they skilfully catch – quite a show to watch.
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