Black Bellied Tern

7/25/2019 Black Bellied Tern

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Black-bellied tern

( Sterna acuticauda )


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Black-bellied Tern(Sterna acuticauda) is a widespread resident inIndia which is locally called as khali taheri in India. It is usually 33cm in length. A small but ery long!tailed tern with black underparts" a slender build and long" deep orange bill that distinguishes it#rom $ier and a deep #orked tail. %lack cap" rather dark greyupperparts" white #ace" neck and upperparts. Se&es are alike.

'A$A'*$ISI'S


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he %ack!bellied ern is #ound on Inland lakes and riers" pre#erringbroad" barren" #eatureless +ats" sand spits and sandy islands andmarshes" occasionally on smaller pools and ditches" in lowlands butnot on the coast" up to ,3- m.

A%IA


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%lack!bellied ern is #ound #rom India" southern akistan "

/epal" %angladesh" 0yanmar " 1aos and 'ambodia. 2espite itslarge range as seen n the map below" the species may nownumber less than -"--- mature indiiduals. he species is alsoregarded as probably e&tinct in 4ietnam" and likely e&tinct as abreeding species in hailand. It has undergone seere declines in'hina" 0yanmar and 1aos" and while it seems more secure in

India" /epal and %angladesh" declines hae been noted in thosecountries as well.

$A/5*


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2espite its large range" the species could now number #ewer"perhaps signi6cantly #ewer" than -"--- mature indiiduals"although this may be. he population estimate is currently placedat -"---!78"--- indiiduals" roughly e9uating to :",--!,"---mature indiiduals" until more data are aailable.

his species is almost e&tinct in alarge part o# its range especiallysouth!east Asia and is thought to bein ery rapid decline oerall" owing toa multitude o# threatening processesthat a;ect rierine species insouthern Asia.

4IA%1*


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2ue to ongoing habitat loss" small population si>e" and hunting #oreggs" pets and #ood" the %lack bellied ern is ealuated as endangeredon the I='/ red list o# threatened Species. It is listed on Appendi& I o#'I*S

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?**2I/5he adult erns are largely omniorous. he #ood consists o# plantand animal material" insects and small 6sh. hey plunge!dies #or

6sh" and aerial!dips #or insects oer water and land.he eyes o# terns cannot accommodate under water" so they relyon accurate sighting #rom the air be#ore they plunge!die.2epending on aailability it will eat6sh" cray6sh" grasshoppers and other large insects" li>ardsand amphibians.


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$*2AI


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he breeding season is #rom ?ebruary to April. he %lack bellied ernsnormally breed in colonies" and are site!#aith#ul i# their habitat is

su@ciently stable. hey breed in colonies o# up to a #ew hundredpairs" o#ten alongside other seabirds such as gulls or skimmers.hey usually lay ust one egg" but two or three is typical in coolerregions i# there is an ade9uate #ood supply. he incubation takesabout 7B7C days.

1I?*


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hreats include the destruction o# breeding habitat islands and sandpits inlarger riers" the collection o# eggs #or #ood" oer6shing and the +ooding o#

nests" o#ten caused by dams. Increased disturbance and oer!haresting o#wetland products are blamed #or the recent complete disappearance o# thebreeding. $ier damming" disturbance" predation by dogs and eggcollecting are highlighted as causes o# the species.In India" the species #aces many threats" which include water e&traction"sand and grael e&traction #or deelopment" disturbance and predation by

cats" dogs and corids" which are attracted to human settlements" pollution#rom industry and agriculture" and mortality through 6sheries by catch.

$*AS


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Black Bellied Tern