We welcome summer with a less known and rare species – the Sandwich Tern.
About the Sandwich Tern...
The Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis, Latham 1787) inhabits hypersaline water bodies and various wetlands, mainly along coasts. It feeds mainly on fish. It nests in large, dense and noisy colonies along with the Common, Gull-billed and Little Tern, the Mediterranean Gull and Pied Avocet. Nesting colonies are located on dikes or islands, and the nest is basically a dimple in the ground, without any building material. It feeds on small fish swimming close to the surface, it catches by swooping in the air and diving from as high as 5-10 meters. Breeding behavior also includes males offering fish to the females.
Migration and wintering:
А migratory nesting and transient species. Birds from the Black Sea winter in the Mediterranean and Africa. They come back to the nesting places at the end of April, and the breeding season begins in May. Birds often migrate in pairs and in flocks of about 50 from April till the end of December.
Distribution:
The majority of the species European population is concentrated in Great Britain, the Netherlands, Germany and Ukraine. Along with France and Russia, these countries host 90% of the European population of the species.
In the 1870’s and 80’s, the Sandwich Tern nested along the Black Sea coast, after which it was observed only in flight. Nesting birds were registered again in the 1980s. It nests in smaller numbers and less frequently on Atanasovko Lake and mainly on Pomorie Lake, where the colony of the species is the largest on the Balkan Peninsula and one of the largest in Europe – with over 2200 breeding pairs in 2019. The numbers vary depending on the condition of the breeding sites and the available food.
Conservation status:
Protected species included in the conservation lists of the Bern, Bonn and Ramsar Conventions, as well as in Annexes II and III of the Biodiversity Act and Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds. Listed as an Endangered species in the Red Data Book of the Republic of Bulgaria.
Necessary protection measures:
• Creation and maintenance of nesting habitats;
• Control of disturbance during the nesting season. It is essential, especially in the period of pair formation, when the birds are more likely to be driven away;
• Control of predators in the nesting places - foxes, jackals, stray dogs, gulls;
• Regular monitoring of populations and their dynamics.
About Pomorie Lake ...
Pomorie Lake is a natural hypersaline lagoon. The location of the lake on the west coast of the Black Sea, along which passes the second largest migratory route of birds in Europe - Via Pontica - determines the great diversity of species that can be observed here.
Find out more about the Pomorie Lake biodiversity in the video:
The Sandwich Tern is one of the rare species whose protection Green Balkans is working for. The conservation activities include restoration and construction of new nesting habitats for the species in Pomorie Lake. As a result of the conservation measures the number of nesting pairs of Sandwich Terns on the lake rose from 6 in 1996 to 1,310 pairs in 2004, and over 2,200 in 2019.
Along with Sandwich Terns, the new habitats are also home to Common Terns, Pied Avocets and Kentish Plovers.
The species is highly sensitive to the loss of nesting habitats, eggs robbery, disturbance of the colony from tourists, fishеrmen and others, terrestrial predators, high water levels, construction activities.
Find out more about Pomorie Lake HERE. And help us:
• Report illegal activities in the species habitats;
• Participate in monitoring activities for the species, work brigades on Pomorie Lake and others;
• Participate in information activities to promote the species;
• Donate funds for the protection of the species. For more information click HERE.
You can learn more about the Sandwich Tern and Pomorie Lake on our Facebook and Instagram pages throughout June - #MonthOfSandwichTern
For additional information:
Dimitar Popov - Head of Conservation Activities at Pomorie Lake - mob.number: +359885 10 87 12, e-mail: dpopov@greenbalkans.bg
Polina Hristova - Communications Specialist – ‘Natura 2000 in Bulgaria - New Horizons’ project – mob.number: +359882508721, e-mail: phristova@greenbalkans.org
About the Sandwich Tern...
The Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis, Latham 1787) inhabits hypersaline water bodies and various wetlands, mainly along coasts. It feeds mainly on fish. It nests in large, dense and noisy colonies along with the Common, Gull-billed and Little Tern, the Mediterranean Gull and Pied Avocet. Nesting colonies are located on dikes or islands, and the nest is basically a dimple in the ground, without any building material. It feeds on small fish swimming close to the surface, it catches by swooping in the air and diving from as high as 5-10 meters. Breeding behavior also includes males offering fish to the females.
Migration and wintering:
А migratory nesting and transient species. Birds from the Black Sea winter in the Mediterranean and Africa. They come back to the nesting places at the end of April, and the breeding season begins in May. Birds often migrate in pairs and in flocks of about 50 from April till the end of December.
Distribution:
The majority of the species European population is concentrated in Great Britain, the Netherlands, Germany and Ukraine. Along with France and Russia, these countries host 90% of the European population of the species.
In the 1870’s and 80’s, the Sandwich Tern nested along the Black Sea coast, after which it was observed only in flight. Nesting birds were registered again in the 1980s. It nests in smaller numbers and less frequently on Atanasovko Lake and mainly on Pomorie Lake, where the colony of the species is the largest on the Balkan Peninsula and one of the largest in Europe – with over 2200 breeding pairs in 2019. The numbers vary depending on the condition of the breeding sites and the available food.
Conservation status:
Protected species included in the conservation lists of the Bern, Bonn and Ramsar Conventions, as well as in Annexes II and III of the Biodiversity Act and Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds. Listed as an Endangered species in the Red Data Book of the Republic of Bulgaria.
Necessary protection measures:
• Creation and maintenance of nesting habitats;
• Control of disturbance during the nesting season. It is essential, especially in the period of pair formation, when the birds are more likely to be driven away;
• Control of predators in the nesting places - foxes, jackals, stray dogs, gulls;
• Regular monitoring of populations and their dynamics.
About Pomorie Lake ...
Pomorie Lake is a natural hypersaline lagoon. The location of the lake on the west coast of the Black Sea, along which passes the second largest migratory route of birds in Europe - Via Pontica - determines the great diversity of species that can be observed here.
Find out more about the Pomorie Lake biodiversity in the video:
The Sandwich Tern is one of the rare species whose protection Green Balkans is working for. The conservation activities include restoration and construction of new nesting habitats for the species in Pomorie Lake. As a result of the conservation measures the number of nesting pairs of Sandwich Terns on the lake rose from 6 in 1996 to 1,310 pairs in 2004, and over 2,200 in 2019.
Along with Sandwich Terns, the new habitats are also home to Common Terns, Pied Avocets and Kentish Plovers.
The species is highly sensitive to the loss of nesting habitats, eggs robbery, disturbance of the colony from tourists, fishеrmen and others, terrestrial predators, high water levels, construction activities.
Find out more about Pomorie Lake HERE. And help us:
• Report illegal activities in the species habitats;
• Participate in monitoring activities for the species, work brigades on Pomorie Lake and others;
• Participate in information activities to promote the species;
• Donate funds for the protection of the species. For more information click HERE.
You can learn more about the Sandwich Tern and Pomorie Lake on our Facebook and Instagram pages throughout June - #MonthOfSandwichTern
For additional information:
Dimitar Popov - Head of Conservation Activities at Pomorie Lake - mob.number: +359885 10 87 12, e-mail: dpopov@greenbalkans.bg
Polina Hristova - Communications Specialist – ‘Natura 2000 in Bulgaria - New Horizons’ project – mob.number: +359882508721, e-mail: phristova@greenbalkans.org
