Photos from The Wetlands Institute's post

Aug 5, 2022 | Cape May

Fun Fact Friday: As most surmised, the bird we posted earlier in the week is a juvenile Forster’s Tern. Forster’s Terns are common breeding birds along our coast, favoring marsh edges and islands to nest – though you can find them in marshes varying in salinity from full salt to completely fresh. These birds are highly social, nesting in large colonies spread out across the marsh – though breeding pairs defend their small nest territories from their neighbors. Once the young birds fledge, the adults aggressively protect them, calling angrily, dive-bombing intruders, and even pecking them with their sharp, pointed bills – which is quite painful, as many who’ve strayed to close to a fledging tern can attest!

Though populations of these elegant birds are relatively stable for the moment, in the 1800s Forster’s Terns (and many other species, for that matter) were shot, stuffed, and mounted on the fashionable hats of the day. Thankfully, the passage of the Migratory Birds Convention Act in Canada in 1917 and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in the US two years later ended the slaughter. However, they’re not completely out of the woods: sea level rise (fueled by climate change) and the loss of wetland habitat present these terns with an uncertain future.

Fun facts:
– Forster’s Terns spend their winters father north than any of their North American cousins.
– Unlike other terns, you can often find Forster’s Terns hunting from perches over water (most terns hunt exclusively from the air).
– Forster’s and Black Terns often nest in close proximity. The downy chicks of both species are similar, and when they get to wandering away from their nests (as young of all species are wont to do), adults can often end up feeding the wrong young!
#wetlandsinstitute #stoneharbornj #middletownshipnj #FunFactFriday #tern #marshlife #conservation

Source »

Related Posts

Accommodations in Cape May

the harrison cape may bed & breakfast
The Harrison

The Harrison features Victorian elegance with contemporary luxuries.

pharos cape may bed & breakfast
Pharos at The Harrison

The historic Pharos Inn (now Pharos at The Harrison) is appointed with the same quality and attention to detail as its sister building.

cape may bed & breakfast cape may casablanca
Casablanca

Casablanca is one of Cape May’s most exceptional inns, and is unlike anything you’ve ever seen or experienced in Cape May.

ashley rose
The Ashley Rose

The Ashley Rose is a combination of a whole house 7-bedroom unit and four unique one-bedroom cottage units.