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Black Tern
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Habitat and behaviour
Habitat: Coasts, lakes, landfills.
Diet: Fish, scraps, invertebrates.
Best time to spot: Year-round, flocks.
When to look
Check local eBird bar charts for timing in your state; range and season vary a lot across the US. Numbers peak in May.
How rare is it?
The Black Tern sits in our Uncommon tier for the US: regular, but you usually need the right place or the right season. It belongs to the gulls, terns, and skimmers family.
Recent US sightings
No community sightings logged for this species yet. Log the first one.
Similar birds
- Whiskered TernLegendary · Coasts
- White-winged TernEpic · Coasts
- American Herring GullUncommon · Coasts
- Black-headed GullUncommon · Coasts
- Blue-gray NoddyUncommon · Coasts
- Bonaparte's GullUncommon · Coasts
Kit that helps
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