Habitat: Lakes, bays, beaches, islands.

• This graceful, gull-like bird has a black cap, a deeply forked tail and a long, pointed bill. They fly with bills pointed downward.
• The common tern nests in groups on sandy beaches and small islands.
• Common terns are preyed upon by Gulls, Great Horned Owls, and Black-crowned Night Herons. Habitat loss and alteration, combined with predation, have had a significant impact on tern populations.