Black Tern

Chlidonias niger

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderCharadriiformes (Shorebirds and Allies)
FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
GenusChlidonias (Marsh Terns)
SpeciesChlidonias niger (Black Tern)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Channel Islands National Park

4 Verified sightings at Channel Islands National Park From 2019 to 2026

6,105 Verified sightings across all 47 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Black Tern

The black tern (Chlidonias niger) is a small tern generally found in or near inland water that breeds in Europe, Western Asia and North America. In winter the birds migrate to coastal areas of Africa and South America. The black tern was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Sterna nigra. Linnaeus specified the type location as Europe but it is now restricted to Uppsala in Sweden. The black tern is now one of four species placed in the genus Chlidonias that was introduced in 1822 by the French naturalist Constantine Rafinesque. The genus name is from Ancient Greek khelidonios, "swallow-like", from khelidon, "swallow": another old English name for the black tern is "carr (i.e. lake) swallow". The species name is from Latin niger "shining black". As its name suggests, it has predominantly dark plumage. In some lights it can appear blue in the breeding season, hence the old English name "blue darr".

Two subspecies are recognised. These are listed below with their breeding ranges. Adults are 25 cm (10 in) long, with a wingspan 61 cm (24 in), and weigh 62... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Channel Islands National Park

Larus occidentalis

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Larus californicus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Larus heermanni

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Larus delawarensis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Thalasseus elegans

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Sterna forsteri

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Thalasseus maximus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Hydroprogne caspia

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Chroicocephalus philadelphia

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Sternula antillarum

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Sterna hirundo

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Larus glaucescens

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Biebrza National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	~20%
2	Fertő-Hanság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~20%
3	Hortobágy National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~20%
4	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
5	Białowieża National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	~10%
6	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
7	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
8	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
9	Kiskunság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~10%
10	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
11	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
12	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
13	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	<5%
14	Camargue	🇫🇷 France	<5%
15	Jaragua National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	<5%
16	Doñana National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
17	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
18	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
19	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
20	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
21	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
22	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
23	Sierra de Guadarrama National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
24	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
25	Bavarian Forest National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	<5%
26	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
27	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
28	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
29	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
30	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
31	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
32	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
33	Monfragüe National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
34	Pyrénées National Park	🇫🇷 France	<5%
35	Tatra National Park	🇸🇰 Slovakia	Insufficient data
36	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
37	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
38	Wood Buffalo National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	Insufficient data
39	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	Insufficient data
40	Paracas National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	Insufficient data
41	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
42	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	Insufficient data
43	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
44	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
45	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
46	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
47	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data

← Back to Channel Islands National Park

Black Tern

About the Black Tern

Recent sightings of Black Tern in Channel Islands National Park

Closest Relatives at Channel Islands National Park

Western Gull

California Gull

Heermann's Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Elegant Tern

Forster's Tern

Royal Tern

Caspian Tern

Bonaparte's Gull

Least Tern

Common Tern

Glaucous-winged Gull

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found