Black Tern

SCI Name:  Chlidonias niger
Protonym:  Sterna nigra Syst.Nat.ed.10 p.137
Taxonomy:  Charadriiformes / Laridae / Chlidonias
Taxonomy Code:  blkter
Type Locality:  Europe, restricted type locality, near Upsala, Sweden.
Author:  Linnaeus
Publish Year:  1758
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CHLIDONIAS
(Laridae; Ϯ Black Tern C. niger surinamensis) Curtailment of Gr. χελιδονιος khelidonios  swallow-like  < χελιδων khelidōn, χελιδονος khelidonos  swallow (alluding to the supposed lack of a hind toe (see Turnix)) (cf. Gr. χλιδαω khlidaō  to be delicate); "The tern or Sea-Swallow may be called the black-headed Tern; I have given it the scientific name of Sterna melanops, which implies the same thing.  This Tern was nine inches long from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail, and the dimension of the extended wings was 21 inches.  It was of an ash color above, and white beneath with the head, neck and feet blackish.  The bill was of a lead color, one inch long, compressed and sharp.  The feet had three half-webbed toes, and none behind.  The tail was long and forked, white beneath.   This bird is totally different from all the known Terns, and might even perhaps be considered as a new genus, by its long, compressed bill, toes only half-webbed, and want of a hind toe, to which the name of CHLIDONIAS MELANOPS might be applied.  It was shot in June 1821, near Harrodsburg, and was preserved by Dr. Graham, in whose possession I saw it." (Rafinesque 1822  per Rhoads 1912); "Chlidonias Rafinesque, Kentucky Gazette, n. s., 1, no. 8, 21 Feb., 1822, p. 3, col. 5. Type, by monotypy, Sterna melanops Rafinesque = Sterna surinamensis Gmelin." (Peters, 1934, II, p. 327).
Var. Chlidornis (Gr. ορνις ornis, ορνιθος ornithos  bird).
Synon. Hydrocecropis, Hydrochelidon, Pelodes, Viralva.

niger
L. niger  black, dark coloured, shining black, jet black (cf. ater  dead black, dusky) (see nigra).
● ex “Black Vulture” of Willughby 1676, and Latham 1781, “Swarthy Vulture” of Charleton 1677, “Vultur niger” of Brisson 1760, and “Avoltojo nero” of Cetti 1776 (syn. Aegypius monachus).
● ?ex “Bouvreuil noir d’Afrique” of Brisson 1760 (Bubalornis).
● ex “Black Hawk” of A. Wilson 1812 (syn. Buteo lagopus sanctijohannis).
● ex “Barbu de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 206, fig. 1 (Capito).
● "70. STERNA.  ...  nigra.  3. S. cauda subforficata, corpore cano, capite rostroque nigro, pedibus rubris. Fn. svec. 128.  Hirundo marina minor. Alb. av. 2. p. 82. t. 89.  Sterna fusca. Raj. av. 131.  Larus cinereus minor. Aldr. orn. . .  Habitat in Europa; vivit in societate." (Linnaeus 1758) (Chlidonias).
● ex “Martinet de S. Domingue. Hirundo apus dominicensis” of Brisson 1760, and “Petit Martinet noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Cypseloides).
● ex “Ibis of Bellonius” of Willughby 1676, and Ray 1713, “Ibis” of Brisson 1760, “Ibis noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Black Ibis” of Latham 1785 (syn. Geronticus calvus).
● ex “Black Snipe” of Pennant 1785, and Latham 1785 (syn. Haematopus bachmani).
● ex “Black Rail” of Latham 1785 (syn. Limnocorax flavirostris).
● “Vieillot [1817] probably referred to this species, but the brief description might equally apply to P. fuscicollis” (Ogilvie-Grant 1898) (Microcarbo).
● ex “Yellow-tufted Bee-eater” of Latham 1782 (syn. Moho nobilis).
● ex “Barbu à gorge noires” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Barbu de l’ile de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Black-throated Barbet” of Latham 1782 (syn. Notharchus tectus).
● ex “Mésange Noire” of Levaillant 1803, pl. 137 (Melaniparus).
● ex “Black Shrike” of Latham 1781 (Platypsaris).
● ex “Pluvian du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 918 (syn. Pluvianus aegyptius).
● ex "Troupiale noir de Saint-Domingue" of d'Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 534 (Quiscalus).
● ex "Icterus niger" of Brisson 1760, "Troupiale noir" of de Buffon 1770-1783, and "Black Oriole" of Latham 1782, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Quiscalus niger).
● "60. TROCHILUS.  ...  niger.  13. T. rectricibus subæqualibus, corpore nigro subtus aurato, ano albo.  Trochilus niger. Mus. Ad. Fr. I. p. 13.  Habitat in Indiis." (Linnaeus 1758) (describing a melanistic form of this variable species) (Threnetes).
● "52. CUCULUS.  ...  niger.  6. C. cauda cuneiformi, corpore nigro nitido, rostro flavo.  Cuculus indicus niger. Edw. av. 58. t. 58.  Habitat in Benghala." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.).

SUBSPECIES

Black Tern (Eurasian)
SCI Name: Chlidonias niger niger
niger
L. niger  black, dark coloured, shining black, jet black (cf. ater  dead black, dusky) (see nigra).
● ex “Black Vulture” of Willughby 1676, and Latham 1781, “Swarthy Vulture” of Charleton 1677, “Vultur niger” of Brisson 1760, and “Avoltojo nero” of Cetti 1776 (syn. Aegypius monachus).
● ?ex “Bouvreuil noir d’Afrique” of Brisson 1760 (Bubalornis).
● ex “Black Hawk” of A. Wilson 1812 (syn. Buteo lagopus sanctijohannis).
● ex “Barbu de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 206, fig. 1 (Capito).
● "70. STERNA.  ...  nigra.  3. S. cauda subforficata, corpore cano, capite rostroque nigro, pedibus rubris. Fn. svec. 128.  Hirundo marina minor. Alb. av. 2. p. 82. t. 89.  Sterna fusca. Raj. av. 131.  Larus cinereus minor. Aldr. orn. . .  Habitat in Europa; vivit in societate." (Linnaeus 1758) (Chlidonias).
● ex “Martinet de S. Domingue. Hirundo apus dominicensis” of Brisson 1760, and “Petit Martinet noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783 (Cypseloides).
● ex “Ibis of Bellonius” of Willughby 1676, and Ray 1713, “Ibis” of Brisson 1760, “Ibis noir” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Black Ibis” of Latham 1785 (syn. Geronticus calvus).
● ex “Black Snipe” of Pennant 1785, and Latham 1785 (syn. Haematopus bachmani).
● ex “Black Rail” of Latham 1785 (syn. Limnocorax flavirostris).
● “Vieillot [1817] probably referred to this species, but the brief description might equally apply to P. fuscicollis” (Ogilvie-Grant 1898) (Microcarbo).
● ex “Yellow-tufted Bee-eater” of Latham 1782 (syn. Moho nobilis).
● ex “Barbu à gorge noires” of de Buffon 1770-1783, “Barbu de l’ile de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Black-throated Barbet” of Latham 1782 (syn. Notharchus tectus).
● ex “Mésange Noire” of Levaillant 1803, pl. 137 (Melaniparus).
● ex “Black Shrike” of Latham 1781 (Platypsaris).
● ex “Pluvian du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 918 (syn. Pluvianus aegyptius).
● ex "Troupiale noir de Saint-Domingue" of d'Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 534 (Quiscalus).
● ex "Icterus niger" of Brisson 1760, "Troupiale noir" of de Buffon 1770-1783, and "Black Oriole" of Latham 1782, and Pennant 1785 (syn. Quiscalus niger).
● "60. TROCHILUS.  ...  niger.  13. T. rectricibus subæqualibus, corpore nigro subtus aurato, ano albo.  Trochilus niger. Mus. Ad. Fr. I. p. 13.  Habitat in Indiis." (Linnaeus 1758) (describing a melanistic form of this variable species) (Threnetes).
● "52. CUCULUS.  ...  niger.  6. C. cauda cuneiformi, corpore nigro nitido, rostro flavo.  Cuculus indicus niger. Edw. av. 58. t. 58.  Habitat in Benghala." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.).

Black Tern (American)
SCI Name: Chlidonias niger surinamensis
surinama / surinamensis / surinamus
Surinam or Suriname (after an indigenous people, the Surinen).
● ex “Hirondelle de mer grande espèce” of Fermin 1769, and “Surinam Tern” of Latham 1785 (subsp. Chlidonias niger).
● ex “Tourterelle” of Fermin 1769, and “Surinam Turtle” of Latham 1783 (?syn. Columba speciosa ☼).
● ex “Yellow-cheeked Creeper” (= ♀) of Pennant 1785 (syn. Cyanerpes caeruleus).
● ex “Surinam Tern” of Brown 1776, and “Surinam Darter” of Latham 1785 (syn. Heliornis fulica).
● ex "Merle de Surinam" of Brisson 1760 (Maschalethraupis).
● ex “Surinam Daw” of Brown 1756, and “Surinam Crow” of Latham 1781 (syn. Molothrus oryzivorus).
● ex “Surinam Nuthatch” of Latham 1782 (Myrmotherula).
● ex “Proyer” of Fermin 1769, and “Surinam Bunting” of Latham 1783 (unident.).
● "60. TROCHILUS.  ...  surinamensis.  12. T. rectricibus ferrugineis, remigibus nigris, corpore aureo subtus albicante.  Habitat in America." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.; nom. dub.).