Tarapiroe - black-fronted tern - Chlidonias albostriatus
This fledgling is still begging for food from its parents. Even though it can fly, it has yet to learn the skill of hawking insects, diving for fish and gathering worms. Each time any adult tern flew overhead it issued a continuous and very strident begging call in the hope that the passing bird was one of its parents that would then find it and come in to feed.
The tarapiroe is a small grey tern commonly seen on braided rivers, estuaries and harbours of the eastern South Island. They breed on the braided rivers of the eastern South Island, dispersing to coastal areas after breeding; it is during this time that some birds are seen in the North Island. The black-fronted tern is an attractive and highly distinctive bird in breeding plumage, with the slate grey plumage contrasting with the black cap and bright orange bill. Juveniles and immature birds may be confused with other vagrant tern species but all are easily separable. In addition to feeding on rivers, estuaries and offshore waters black-fronted tern are often observed flying over pasture and arable fields with their distinctive buoyant flight, hawking insects and picking worms from the ground. A distinctive small grey tern with a moderately forked tail, very short legs and short bill sharply decurved at the tip. The adults are striking in breeding plumage, with the pale grey body plumage contrasting with the black cap, narrow white cheek stripe and bright orange bill. In non-breeding plumage, they have a mottled grey cap, a black patch around the eye and ear coverts, and a black tip to the bill. Juvenile and immature birds are similar to non-breeding adults, but have the crown and nape more heavily streaked or mottled black, some buff scaling on the back, and the bill is dark brown with some dull orange at the base.
The black-fronted tern has a small global population, with an estimated population of between 5-10,000 individuals. Many rivers hold only small breeding populations, with over 50% of the black-fronted terns breeding on a handful of rivers. The population has declined significantly since European settlement and is continuing to do so. Black-fronted terns gather in winter flocks of up to 300 birds (and occasionally as many as 1000 birds) at coastal estuaries and lagoons.
Black-fronted terns breed in a dynamic habitat, and as a result they are threatened by a wide range of factors. These include habitat loss due to hydroelectricity development, weed encroachment of braided river breeding habitat, and recreational use of rivers. But the most significant impact is predation by introduced mammalian predators. Black-fronted terns and their nests are preyed on by rats, stoats, ferrets, feral cats, and hedgehogs. In addition, on some rivers there is significant predation by southern black-backed gulls and swamp harriers, both of which species have become more numerous following human-induced alteration of their habitat and food supply.
Black-fronted tern and other braided river birds have been the focus of a range of conservation actions in attempts to increase their productivity. This includes predator control, weed management, and advocacy with gravel extraction firms on a number of rivers or river sections. Despite this, pest control has had limited success in improving breeding success of black-fronted tern and the challenges of protecting braided river birds in a habitat as dynamic as a braided river has not yet fully been accomplished. (Source: www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz)
Tarapiroe - black-fronted tern - Chlidonias albostriatus
This fledgling is still begging for food from its parents. Even though it can fly, it has yet to learn the skill of hawking insects, diving for fish and gathering worms. Each time any adult tern flew overhead it issued a continuous and very strident begging call in the hope that the passing bird was one of its parents that would then find it and come in to feed.
The tarapiroe is a small grey tern commonly seen on braided rivers, estuaries and harbours of the eastern South Island. They breed on the braided rivers of the eastern South Island, dispersing to coastal areas after breeding; it is during this time that some birds are seen in the North Island. The black-fronted tern is an attractive and highly distinctive bird in breeding plumage, with the slate grey plumage contrasting with the black cap and bright orange bill. Juveniles and immature birds may be confused with other vagrant tern species but all are easily separable. In addition to feeding on rivers, estuaries and offshore waters black-fronted tern are often observed flying over pasture and arable fields with their distinctive buoyant flight, hawking insects and picking worms from the ground. A distinctive small grey tern with a moderately forked tail, very short legs and short bill sharply decurved at the tip. The adults are striking in breeding plumage, with the pale grey body plumage contrasting with the black cap, narrow white cheek stripe and bright orange bill. In non-breeding plumage, they have a mottled grey cap, a black patch around the eye and ear coverts, and a black tip to the bill. Juvenile and immature birds are similar to non-breeding adults, but have the crown and nape more heavily streaked or mottled black, some buff scaling on the back, and the bill is dark brown with some dull orange at the base.
The black-fronted tern has a small global population, with an estimated population of between 5-10,000 individuals. Many rivers hold only small breeding populations, with over 50% of the black-fronted terns breeding on a handful of rivers. The population has declined significantly since European settlement and is continuing to do so. Black-fronted terns gather in winter flocks of up to 300 birds (and occasionally as many as 1000 birds) at coastal estuaries and lagoons.
Black-fronted terns breed in a dynamic habitat, and as a result they are threatened by a wide range of factors. These include habitat loss due to hydroelectricity development, weed encroachment of braided river breeding habitat, and recreational use of rivers. But the most significant impact is predation by introduced mammalian predators. Black-fronted terns and their nests are preyed on by rats, stoats, ferrets, feral cats, and hedgehogs. In addition, on some rivers there is significant predation by southern black-backed gulls and swamp harriers, both of which species have become more numerous following human-induced alteration of their habitat and food supply.
Black-fronted tern and other braided river birds have been the focus of a range of conservation actions in attempts to increase their productivity. This includes predator control, weed management, and advocacy with gravel extraction firms on a number of rivers or river sections. Despite this, pest control has had limited success in improving breeding success of black-fronted tern and the challenges of protecting braided river birds in a habitat as dynamic as a braided river has not yet fully been accomplished. (Source: www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz)