Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)

Status: State Endangered (1979).

Occurrence: Uncommon migrant and uncommon summer resident. Lakes and large marshes in the lower Green Bay area, Lake Winnebago area and surrounding lakes, and the Mississippi River. Nesting colonies most common in lower Green Bay, Lake Puckaway (Green Lake County), and Lake Poygan and Rush Lake (Winnebago County). A map outlining Pre-1977 and 1997 to Present Distribution is available.

Aid to ID: Distinguished from common tern by orange bill and legs, silvery white tips of upper wing surface, and white edge on outer tail feathers.

Habitat: Large marshes, estuaries, and lake islands are common breeding habitats.

Food Habits: Small fish and insects.

Natural History:

Breeding: Nest at 4 years of age. Clutch size: 3 brown or olive eggs with dark brown dots or scrawled lines; laid from June to July. Incubation: 24 days. Fledging occurs at about 4 weeks of age.
Nest: Constructed from marsh vegetation.

Management Considerations: Loss of nesting habitat due to high water levels, lake shore development, carp activity, and wetland filling is a key concern. Natural marsh conditions should by maintained and restored on larger inland lakes to provide potential nesting habitat. The creation of artificial nesting islands and platforms have successfully increased the number of acceptable nesting sites. Human access to colonies and nesting sites should be limited.