WoRMS taxon details
Chlidonias niger (Linnaeus, 1758)
137137 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:137137)
accepted
Species
Hydrochelidon nigra (Linnaeus, 1758) · unaccepted
Sterna niger Linnaeus, 1758 · unaccepted
Sterna nigra Linnaeus, 1758 · unaccepted
- Subspecies Chlidonias niger niger (Linnaeus, 1758)
marine, fresh, terrestrial
(of Sterna nigra Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886 [details] Available for editors 
[request]
[request]
Description Length: 22-24 cm. Plumage: non-breeding bird has upperparts darkish grey; head with black hindcrown and nape continuous...
Distribution North America
Distribution Old World
Description Length: 22-24 cm. Plumage: non-breeding bird has upperparts darkish grey; head with black hindcrown and nape continuous with black line through eye; underparts, rest of head and collar on hind neck white; black smuges at sides of breast diagnostic; breeding bird with body and head black; upper wing and back dark grey; tail and rump grey; undertail coverts white; wing linings pale grey. Immature like non-breeding adult. Bare parts: iris dark brown; bill black, tinged red in breeding bird; feet and legs reddish brown. Habitat: open ocean, coastal lagoons and estuaries. Palearctic migrant. <389><391><393> [details]
Distribution North America
Distribution North America [details]
Distribution Old World
Distribution Old World [details]
WoRMS (2025). Chlidonias niger (Linnaeus, 1758). Accessed at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=137137 on 2025-04-02
Date
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Nomenclature
original description
(of Sterna niger Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886
page(s): 137 [details] Available for editors [request]
original description (of Sterna nigra Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886 [details] Available for editors [request]
basis of record van der Land, J. (2001). Tetrapoda, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 375-376 (look up in IMIS) [details]
page(s): 137 [details] Available for editors
[request]original description (of Sterna nigra Linnaeus, 1758) Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. [The system of nature through the three kingdoms of nature, according to classes, orders, genera, species, with characters, differences, synonyms, places.]. <em>Impensis Direct. Laurentii Salvii. Holmiae [Stockholm].</em> 1(10) [iii], 824 p., available online at https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/726886 [details] Available for editors
[request]basis of record van der Land, J. (2001). Tetrapoda, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 375-376 (look up in IMIS) [details]
Other
context source (RAS)
Australian Antarctic Data Centre. , available online at https://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/biodiversity/ [details]
context source (Schelde) Maris, T., O. Beauchard, S. Van Damme, E. Van den Bergh, S. Wijnhoven & P. Meire. (2013). Referentiematrices en Ecotoopoppervlaktes Annex bij de Evaluatiemethodiek Schelde-estuarium Studie naar “Ecotoopoppervlaktes en intactness index”. [Reference matrices and Ecotope areas Annex to the Evaluation methodology Scheldt estuary Study on “Ecotope areas and intactness index”. <em>Monitor Taskforce Publication Series, 2013-01. NIOZ: Yerseke.</em> 35 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]
context source (BeRMS 2020) Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). European Seabirds at Sea - data collected by the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). INBO Seabird distribution data (all trips). [details]
context source (Bermuda) Amos, E. J. R. (1991). A Guide to The Birds of Bermuda. 206 pp [details]
additional source Banks, R.C., R.W. McDiarmid, and A.L. Gardner. 1987. Checklist of vertebrates of the United States, the U.S. Territories, and Canada. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Resource Publication No. 166. 79 p. [details]
additional source Robbins, C. S. (1983). Golden field Guide to Birds of North America. Golden press. 360p. [details]
additional source Linkletter, L. E. (1977). A checklist of marine fauna and flora of the Bay of Fundy. <em>Huntsman Marine Laboratory, St. Andrews, N.B.</em> 68: p. [details]
additional source Peterson, R.T.; Peterson, V.M. (2002). A field guide to the birds of eastern and central North America. <em>Fifth Edition.</em> Peterson Field Guide Series. Houghton Mifflin Company. New York. 427 p. [details]
additional source Squires, H. J. (1990). Decapod Crustacea of the Atlantic coast of Canada. <em>Canadian Bulletin of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.</em> 221: 532 p., available online at http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/library/116743.pdf [details]
additional source Vanner, M. (2003). The encyclopedia of North American birds. <em>Paragon Publishing.</em> 1-383. [details]
additional source Urban, E. K.; Fry, C. H.; Keith, S. (1986). The Birds of Africa, Volume II. <em>Academic Press, London.</em> [details]
additional source Muller, Y. (2004). Faune et flore du littoral du Nord, du Pas-de-Calais et de la Belgique: inventaire. [Coastal fauna and flora of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Belgium: inventory]. <em>Commission Régionale de Biologie Région Nord Pas-de-Calais: France.</em> 307 pp., available online at http://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/145561.pdf [details]
additional source Gallardo, J. C.; Macías, V.; Velarde, E. (2009). Birds (Vertebrata: Aves) of the Gulf of Mexico. <em>In: Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas.</em> Pp. 1321–1342. [details]
additional source Liu, J.Y. [Ruiyu] (ed.). (2008). Checklist of marine biota of China seas. <em>China Science Press.</em> 1267 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). , available online at http://www.itis.gov [details]
additional source Cattrijsse, A. & M. Vincx. (2001). Biodiversity of the benthos and the avifauna of the Belgian coastal waters: summary of data collected between 1970 and 1998. <em>Federal Office for Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs: Brussel, Belgium.</em> 48 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]
context source (Schelde) Maris, T., O. Beauchard, S. Van Damme, E. Van den Bergh, S. Wijnhoven & P. Meire. (2013). Referentiematrices en Ecotoopoppervlaktes Annex bij de Evaluatiemethodiek Schelde-estuarium Studie naar “Ecotoopoppervlaktes en intactness index”. [Reference matrices and Ecotope areas Annex to the Evaluation methodology Scheldt estuary Study on “Ecotope areas and intactness index”. <em>Monitor Taskforce Publication Series, 2013-01. NIOZ: Yerseke.</em> 35 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]
context source (BeRMS 2020) Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). European Seabirds at Sea - data collected by the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). INBO Seabird distribution data (all trips). [details]
context source (Bermuda) Amos, E. J. R. (1991). A Guide to The Birds of Bermuda. 206 pp [details]
additional source Banks, R.C., R.W. McDiarmid, and A.L. Gardner. 1987. Checklist of vertebrates of the United States, the U.S. Territories, and Canada. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Resource Publication No. 166. 79 p. [details]
additional source Robbins, C. S. (1983). Golden field Guide to Birds of North America. Golden press. 360p. [details]
additional source Linkletter, L. E. (1977). A checklist of marine fauna and flora of the Bay of Fundy. <em>Huntsman Marine Laboratory, St. Andrews, N.B.</em> 68: p. [details]
additional source Peterson, R.T.; Peterson, V.M. (2002). A field guide to the birds of eastern and central North America. <em>Fifth Edition.</em> Peterson Field Guide Series. Houghton Mifflin Company. New York. 427 p. [details]
additional source Squires, H. J. (1990). Decapod Crustacea of the Atlantic coast of Canada. <em>Canadian Bulletin of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.</em> 221: 532 p., available online at http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/library/116743.pdf [details]
additional source Vanner, M. (2003). The encyclopedia of North American birds. <em>Paragon Publishing.</em> 1-383. [details]
additional source Urban, E. K.; Fry, C. H.; Keith, S. (1986). The Birds of Africa, Volume II. <em>Academic Press, London.</em> [details]
additional source Muller, Y. (2004). Faune et flore du littoral du Nord, du Pas-de-Calais et de la Belgique: inventaire. [Coastal fauna and flora of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Belgium: inventory]. <em>Commission Régionale de Biologie Région Nord Pas-de-Calais: France.</em> 307 pp., available online at http://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/145561.pdf [details]
additional source Gallardo, J. C.; Macías, V.; Velarde, E. (2009). Birds (Vertebrata: Aves) of the Gulf of Mexico. <em>In: Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas.</em> Pp. 1321–1342. [details]
additional source Liu, J.Y. [Ruiyu] (ed.). (2008). Checklist of marine biota of China seas. <em>China Science Press.</em> 1267 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors
[request]additional source Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). , available online at http://www.itis.gov [details]
additional source Cattrijsse, A. & M. Vincx. (2001). Biodiversity of the benthos and the avifauna of the Belgian coastal waters: summary of data collected between 1970 and 1998. <em>Federal Office for Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs: Brussel, Belgium.</em> 48 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details]
Present Present in aphia/obis/gbif/idigbio Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
Unreviewed
Description Length: 22-24 cm. Plumage: non-breeding bird has upperparts darkish grey; head with black hindcrown and nape continuous with black line through eye; underparts, rest of head and collar on hind neck white; black smuges at sides of breast diagnostic; breeding bird with body and head black; upper wing and back dark grey; tail and rump grey; undertail coverts white; wing linings pale grey. Immature like non-breeding adult. Bare parts: iris dark brown; bill black, tinged red in breeding bird; feet and legs reddish brown. Habitat: open ocean, coastal lagoons and estuaries. Palearctic migrant. <389><391><393> [details]Dimensions Length: 9 3/4" (25 cm); Wingspan: 24" (61 cm) [details]
Distribution North America [details]
Distribution Old World [details]
Habitat at sea in winter [details]
Reproduction In North America, it Breeds across southern Canada, from New Brunswick to British Columbia, and in the northern United States. Winters in Central and northern South America and in central Africa. Eggs are laid from early June to mid July. [details]
| Language | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| Albanian | dallëndyshja e detit e zezë | [details] |
| Bulgarian | Черна рибарка | [details] |
| Danish | sortterne | [details] |
| Dutch | zwarte stern | [details] |
| English | black tern | [details] |
| French | guifette noire | [details] |
| German | Trauer-Seeschwalbe | [details] |
| Hebrew | שחפית שחורה )"מרומית שחורה"(מרומית שחורה | [details] |
| Italian | mignattino | [details] |
| Lithuanian | juodoji žuvėdra | [details] |
| Modern Greek (1453-) | Μαυρογλάρονο | [details] |
| Norwegian | svartterne | [details] |
| Norwegian Bokmål | svartterne | [details] |
| Norwegian Nynorsk | svartterne | [details] |
| Polish | rybitwa czarna | [details] |
| Romanian | chirighiţa neagră | [details] |
| Russian | черная крачка | [details] |
| Scottish Gaelic | geabhróg dhubh | [details] |
| Slovenian | črna čigra | [details] |
| Spanish | fumarel común | [details] |
| Swedish | svarttärna | [details] |
| Turkish | kara sumru | [details] |
| Ukrainian | Крячок чорний | [details] |
| Welsh | cors-wennol ddu | [details] |
To Barcode of Life (12 barcodes)
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (82 publications)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Chlidonias niger)
To GenBank (35 nucleotides; 32 proteins) (from synonym Sterna nigra Linnaeus, 1758)
To GenBank (35 nucleotides; 32 proteins)
To Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To IUCN Red List (Least Concern)
To PESI
To ITIS
To Biodiversity Heritage Library (82 publications)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Chlidonias niger)
To GenBank (35 nucleotides; 32 proteins) (from synonym Sterna nigra Linnaeus, 1758)
To GenBank (35 nucleotides; 32 proteins)
To Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI)
To IUCN Red List (Least Concern)
To PESI
To ITIS
