Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!deimos!harris.cis.ksu.edu!hansen From: hansen@harris.cis.ksu.edu (Steven C. Hansen) Newsgroups: rec.birds Subject: Re: Forster's and Common Terns Keywords: Differentiation, abundance Message-ID: <401@deimos.cis.ksu.edu> Date: 9 Dec 88 20:37:10 GMT References: <114@arcturus.edsdrd.eds.com> Sender: news@deimos.cis.ksu.edu Reply-To: hansen@harris.cis.ksu.edu (Steven C. Hansen) Organization: Kansas State University, Dept of Computing & Information Sciences Lines: 31 In article <114@arcturus.edsdrd.eds.com> gss@edsdrd.eds.com (Gary Schiltz) writes: >I've been birding now for about ten years, and have yet to identify >a Common Tern. Most of my birding has been while I was a student at >Kansas State University in Manhattan. With several large reservoirs >in the area, and the Cheyenne Bottoms wildlife refuge close by, I was . . . . . . > 1) How can one visually tell the difference between the two? The . . . . . . > 2) Which tern would be more abundant around midwestern lakes (i.e. in > Kansas) and in the Great Lakes region, and in what seasons are each > more abundant? Hello, Gary I'm still birding at K-State, but I have had some experiences with both species since I am originally from central Minnesota which is between the breeding areas of both species. During the summer I have been able to see the difference in the shading on the wing and tail feathers that you mention, however I'm not sure about winter plumage. I have seen many Common Terns along Lake Superior, according to maps you should have a number there in Michigan during the summer. Birding is still good back here in Manhattan. I've been birding with Chris Smith on Sunday mornings, and we've seen a couple of Prairie Falcons a number of Bald Eagles, Sharp-shinned Hawks, loads of Red-tails, a few Rough-legged Hawks, and of course the usual passerines... including many Harris Sparrows (for those of you not of the Great Plains). I hope birding is good for you out there. Steve Hansen hansen@harris.cis.ksu.edu