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Black Tern

Chlidonias niger

General Status Rank:

Sensitive

ELCODE:

ABNNM10020

Common Name:

Black Tern

Scientific Name:

Chlidonias niger

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Taxonomy

Group:

Bird

Kingdom:

Animalia

Phylum:

Chordata

Class:

Aves

Order:

Charadriiformes

Family:

Laridae

References:

General Biology

Economic/Human Considerations

non-hunted species

References:

Habitat

interior marshes and ponds

References:

Distribution

Ecozones

Taiga Plains, Taiga Shield, Boreal Plains

References:

Distribution

>11%, Breeding distribution in western NWT likely further north than given in traditional bird references (GG5), but exact distribution unclear.Range extent estimated from map provided in CWS, 2009 (Canadian Wildlife Service - Prairie and Northern Region, 2009. Bird Distributions in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories: 2009 Review).

Score:

F

References:

Winter Distribution Description:

coastal South America

Number of Occurrences

Numerous occurrences in the NWT, mostly on and around Great Slave Lake and the Mackenzie River (DD15 Accessed 23Jan2015; W113)

Score:

C

References:

Historical Distribution

unknown

References:

Area of Occupancy

unknown but continental distribution is similar to historical distribution despite recent population declines

Score:

-

References:

Population

Population Size

Numbers in the NWT not known, but may nest in the thousands (MAF4)

Score:

CE

References:

Density

semicolonial

Trends

Trends

rapid decline of previous years has slowed considerably in the last 10 - 15 years; Some populations have recently declined, but trend unclear for NWT population. "biologically significant population decline" - Wings Over Water (CS26)

References:

Threats

Threats

Habitat loss, human disturbance, pesticides, population isolation; overfishing in wintering habitats; pressures on population occur mainly outside NT/NU in southern breeding areas and wintering grounds

Score:

C

References:

Intrinsic Vulnerability

loss and degredation of wetlands; possibly pollution, development, global climate change , pressures from loss of wetlands and reduced nesting habitat due to the introduced marsh plant purple loosestrife is a problem in southern breeding areas.

Score:

-

References:

General Status Rank

Rank:

Sensitive

Status Rank Description:

Continental population declined, trend in NWT population unclear. Designated conservation status of "High Concern" Wings over Water 2003 (CS26).Trend information not available for the NWT. No new information available since previous review.

S Rank:

S3

Decision Process Description:

Drafted by Grant Gilchrist in 2000 based mostly on printed material. Reviewed in 2005 by C. Swoboda, based on printed material: no change in status.; Reviewed in 2010;no change; Reviewed by Paul F. Woodard CWS in 2015, no change

Last Updated:

February 3, 2015

Status Designations

Canada – Assessment by Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada

COSEWIC Status:

Not At Risk

References:

References

Area of Occupancy

Gilchrist Grant (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife Population Biologist, Eastern Arctic, CWS Yellowknife - H131 Return
Alvo R and Dunn E (1996) Updated status report on the black tern Chlidonias niger in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) RWED Library Folder - R065 Return
Anonymous (2003) Wings over Water – Canada’s Waterbird Conservation Plan. Canadian Wildlife Service, - CS26 Return

COSEWIC Status

Alvo R and Dunn E (1996) Updated status report on the black tern Chlidonias niger in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) RWED Library Folder - R065 Return

Economic Status

Gilchrist Grant (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife Population Biologist, Eastern Arctic, CWS Yellowknife - H131 Return

Ecozones

Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Habitat

Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return
Gilchrist Grant (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife Population Biologist, Eastern Arctic, CWS Yellowknife - H131 Return
Alvo R and Dunn E (1996) Updated status report on the black tern Chlidonias niger in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) RWED Library Folder - R065 Return

Historical Distribution

Dunn, E.H. (1995) Black Tern. The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists' Union Birds of North America No. 174 CWS office. Yellowknife - GG5 Return

Intrinsic Vulnerability

Dunn, E.H. (1995) Black Tern. The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists' Union Birds of North America No. 174 CWS office. Yellowknife - GG5 Return
Gilchrist Grant (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife Population Biologist, Eastern Arctic, CWS Yellowknife - H131 Return
Alvo R and Dunn E (1996) Updated status report on the black tern Chlidonias niger in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) RWED Library Folder - R065 Return

NWT Known Subspecies

Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Number of Occurrences

Gilchrist Grant (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife Population Biologist, Eastern Arctic, CWS Yellowknife - H131 Return
Audubon and Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada (2015) http://ebird.org/content/canada/ - W113 Return
CWS (2014) CWS Unpublished Data - DD15 Return

Population Size

Dunn, E.H. (1995) Black Tern. The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists' Union Birds of North America No. 174 CWS office. Yellowknife - GG5 Return

,

Sirois, J., M.A. Fournier, and M. Kay (1995) The colonial waterbirds of Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories: an annotated atlas. Canadian Wildlife Service Occasional Paper No. 89 - MAF4 Return

,

Alvo R and Dunn E (1996) Updated status report on the black tern Chlidonias niger in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) RWED Library Folder - R065 Return

Range Extent

Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return
Dunn, E.H. (1995) Black Tern. The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists' Union Birds of North America No. 174 CWS office. Yellowknife - GG5 Return

Short Term Trends

Gilchrist Grant (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife Population Biologist, Eastern Arctic, CWS Yellowknife - H131 Return
Alvo R and Dunn E (1996) Updated status report on the black tern Chlidonias niger in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) RWED Library Folder - R065 Return
Anonymous (2003) Wings over Water – Canada’s Waterbird Conservation Plan. Canadian Wildlife Service, - CS26 Return

Taxonomy

Godfrey WE (1986) The Birds of Canada. National Museums of Canada Revised Edition RWED Library Call #QL685.G6 - B004 Return

Threats

Dunn, E.H. (1995) Black Tern. The Academy of Natural Sciences and The American Ornithologists' Union Birds of North America No. 174 CWS office. Yellowknife - GG5 Return
Gilchrist Grant (2000) Pers. communication. Wildlife Population Biologist, Eastern Arctic, CWS Yellowknife - H131 Return
Alvo R and Dunn E (1996) Updated status report on the black tern Chlidonias niger in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) RWED Library Folder - R065 Return