(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species tern, gull-billed
Species Id M040179
Date 26 AUG 96
TAXONOMY
NAME - tern, gull-billed
OTHER COMMON NAMES -
ELEMENT CODE - 03/31/84
AOU CODE - 06/04/85
03/30/88
CATEGORY - Birds
PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - Chordata, Vertebrata
CLASS AND SUBCLASS - Aves, Neornithes
ORDER AND SUBORDER - Charadriiformes,
FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - Laridae, Sterninae
GENUS AND SUBGENUS - Gelochelidon,
SPECIES AND SSP - nilotica, aranea
SCIENTIFIC NAME - Gelochelidon nilotica aranea
AUTHORITY - Wilson
TAXONOMY REFERENCES - 404 and 575
COMMENTS ON TAXONOMY -
Superorder = Neognathae *404*; also known as marsh tern
*1168*
Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species tern, gull-billed
Species Id M040179
Date 26 AUG 96
STATUS
Coded Status
Federal Migratory
State endangered
Pending, FMP is currently in preparation
REFERENCES FOR STATUS - 4447
COMMENTS ON STATUS -
Uncommon summer resident along coast of Eastern Shore; uncommon transient
on coast south of Cape Henry, rare in lower Chesapeake Bay. Only three
records away from coast. Breeds along coast of Eastern Shore.*8511*
Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Distribution
Species tern, gull-billed
Species Id M040179
Date 26 AUG 96
DISTRIBUTION
References on County Occurrence - 001, 131, 193, 810, CB2, CB3 and AO1
References on Seasonal Occurrence - Common summer resident along coast of Eastern Shore
(Accomack, Northampton); uncommon transient on coast south of Cape Henry
(Virginia Beach) *700*; unusual inland record: 1, Westmoreland County,
28 August 1959 *700*; peak count: 500 pairs, Metomkin Island (Accomack),
19 June 1976 *700*
References on County Abundance - 001, 131, 810 and 193
REFERENCES FOR HYDROLOGIC UNIT CODES - 001, 131 and 810
OTHER DISTRIBUTION
REFERENCES FOR OTHER DISTRIBUTION - H
Comments on Distribution -
Uncommon summer resident along coast of Eastern Shore, rare in lower Bay.
Only three records away from coast.*8511*
Distribution - 1 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS
LAND USE -
Barren Land
Beaches
REFERENCES FOR LAND USE - 1168
NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY CODES
NWI NWICLS NWIMOD NWISPEC
Marine, intertidal BB2 P
REFERENCES FOR NWI - 2410 and 1168
COMMENTS ON HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS -
Historically preferred salt marshes as nesting and
feeding grounds, called the marsh tern *1168*; nests on the higher part
of beach, nearer the dunes where the spring tides reach, bringing shells
and small stones that aid in camouflaging the eggs *1168*
COMMENTS ON SPECIES ASSOCIATIONS -
Nesting occurs in mixed colonies with other tern
species as well as black skimmers and gulls *1168*; gull-billed terns
associated with royal terns in colonies *450*
POTENTIAL NATURAL VEGETATION -
065 Northern Cordgrass Prairie (Distichlis-Spartina)
101 Oak - Hickory - Pine Forest (Quercus-Carya-Pinus)
103 Southern Floodplain Forest (Quercus-Nyssa-Taxodium)
REFERENCES FOR PNV - 700
ECOREGION -
Southeastern Mixed Forest: Flat Plains
Southeastern Mixed Forest: Irregular Plains
REFERENCES FOR ECOREGION - 700
Habitat Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species tern, gull-billed
Species Id M040179
Date 26 AUG 96
FOOD HABITS
TROPHIC LEVEL -
Carnivore
REFERENCES FOR TROPHIC LEVEL - 1168
LIFESTAGE FOOD FOOD PART
General Insects Not Specified
General Crustaceans Not Specified
General Animals Not Specified
General See Comments; Food See Comments
Important Insects Not Specified
Adult Animals Not Specified
Adult Insects Not Specified
REFERENCES FOR GENERAL FOOD - 1168
REFERENCES FOR IMPORTANT FOOD - 1168
REFERENCES FOR ADULT FOOD - 1168
COMMENTS ON FOOD -
Feeds almost exclusively on insects which it catches on
the wing 'hawks' *1168*
Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species tern, gull-billed
Species Id M040179
Date 26 AUG 96
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G = General A = Adult
LIM = Limiting RA = Resting Adult
J = Juvenile FA = Feeding Adult
RJ = Resting Juvenile BA = Breeding Adult
FJ = Feeding Juvenile P = Pupae
L = Larvae E = Egg
RL = Resting Larvae
FL = Feeding Larvae
LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G Coastal Features: Sandy offshore islands
G Coastal Features: Vegetated offshore islands
G Coastal Features: Dunes
G Coastal Features: Specified in Comments
REFERENCES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOC_ - 2410 and 1168
COMMENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS -
Although the greatest abundance of beach-nesting
birds, including gull-billed tern, nest on the barrier islands, some are
beginning to use dredge spoil islands *2410*
Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species tern, gull-billed
Species Id M040179
Date 26 AUG 96
LIFE HISTORY
REPRODUCTION: 2-3 eggs/once a season, in Virginia June/July
*1168*; BEHAVIOR: foraging strategy--catches insects (its major food) on
the wing *1168*; nest site: shallow depression in sand, eggs concealed
by shells, stones and dead vegetation present *1168*; ORIGIN: subspecies
identified as native *404*; POPULATION PARAMETERS: historically salt
marshes were the primary feeding and breeding habitat--shift to higher
beach areas near dunes *1168*; population numbers are decreasing; Bent
commented on it in 1921 *1168*; state nesting population estimated at
2228 in 1975 and 1032 in 1977 *700*; migration--spring arrival in
Virginia in May; fall arrival at wintering range in September-October
*1168*; fall migration recorded widely from southern Texas and
Louisiana, central Florida, Caribbean coast of Central America and north
and northeastern South America *404*; AQUATIC/TERRESTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS:
nesting occurs in mixed colonies with other tern species as well as
black skimmers and gulls *1168*; associated with royal terns in colonies
*450* BEHAVIOR: nesting occurs in mixed colonies with other tern species as
well as black skimmers and gulls *1168*: gull-billed terns associated with
royal terns in colonies
REFERENCES FOR LIFE HISTORY- 2410, 1168, 404 and 450
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species tern, gull-billed
Species Id M040179
Date 26 AUG 96
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
RESULT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE
Adverse Applying pesticides
Adverse Other management practices [specified in comments]
REFERENCES FOR ADVERSE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES - 2410
COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES -
(A)=application of agricultural pesticides may be affecting
productivity since this species relies heavily on insects for food
*2410*
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - References
Species tern, gull-billed
Species Id M040179
Date 26 AUG 96
References
404* Union, American Ornithologists'. 1957. Check-list of North
American Birds. American Ornithologists' Union Baltimore,
Md:691.
450* Buckley, F.G., Buckley, P.A. 1972. The breeding ecology of
royal terns Sterna (Thalasseus) maxima maxima. Ibis 114:344-359.
575* Mayr, E. 1969. Principles of Systematic Zoology.
McGraw-Hill New York, N.Y:428.
700* Ornithology, Virginia Society of. 1979. Virginia's
Birdlife: An Annotated Check-list. Virginia Avifauna No. 2.
Virginia Society of Ornithology Lynchburg, Va:118.
1168* Bent, A.C. 1921. Life histories of North American gulls
and terns. U.S. Mus. Nat. Hist. Bull. 113. Reprint 1963 by Dover
Pubs. New York, N.Y:337.
2410* Akers, J.W. 1979. Gull-billed tern. Proc. symp. on
endangered and threatened plants and animals of Virginia Linzey,
D.W. Ext. Div., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ.
Blacksburg:436.
4447* Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife. 1985. 50(66):15.
References - 1