Lake Birds

[buzzsaw]

I was on Lake Minnetonka yesterday and saw a few of these... I believe an Arctic Tern?? [image][/image]

[M.T. Bucket]

This is a very difficult id, but I believe it to be a Common Tern.

Arctic Terns are quite uncommon in Minnesota. Arctic Terns show a longer tail, slimmer profile, and a bill that is deeper red with no dark tip.

The bird most difficult to distinguish this Common Tern from would be the Forster's Tern. The Forster's Tern is more slender, has a longer tail, and a lighter tail and bill color than the Common Tern. All of these features are matters of degree and without the species side-by-side, the call is very difficult to make.

Caspian and Black Terns are also found in Minnesota but are easily distinguished from this bird.

[fishface5]

Are Black Terns uhhh, Back? I saw one on Mille Lacs, Mon., Vine land Bay. Same body shape as any tern, just Dark gray/black. Kind of on the smaller side of the Tern family.(I want a digital camera!)

[Steve Foss]

fishface: Yep, sounds like you described a black tern.

I like watching terns more than gulls. There's just something classier about them, although their raspy calls sure don't inspire a lot of romance.

Easiest way for me to tell adult Forster's and commons apart is by the black/white pattern on the tail — dark on inside of forked tail on Forster's, dark on outside of forked tail on commons. And on wingtips, where Forster's are pale and commons are much darker.

But shucks, they gotta be flying to make that out. I can't tell which one you got from the pic.