The Black Tern is a marsh tern of inland wetlands and prairie lakes, distinctive in breeding plumage with its smoky black body and gray wings. Unlike most terns, it feeds by dipping to the water surface to pick insects and small fish rather than plunge-diving. Its populations have declined significantly due to wetland loss and degradation.
Best time to see a Black Tern
The best time to see a Black Tern is April–July, when about 65% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 6,341 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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Recent Black Tern sightings near you
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