Ecology Summary - Sterna hirundo

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Ecology of Sterna hirundo

Main Ref.	SAUP Database, 2006
Remarks	A coastal species (Ref. 356), found in the beach, shoreline, islands and pelagic zone (Ref. 116102). Primarily forages inshore. In the North Sea off the east coast of Scotland and northern England, they are known to partially feed on the sandeel, Ammodytes marinus. Breeding pairs share incubation and chick-rearing duties in nesting colonies (Ref. 95711). Displays dipping behavior (Ref. 356). They surface-feed by scooping prey from the water and carry it in their bills. Adults feed their chicks with regurgitated food (Ref. 95711).

Main Ref.

SAUP Database, 2006

Remarks

A coastal species (Ref. 356), found in the beach, shoreline, islands and pelagic zone (Ref. 116102). Primarily forages inshore. In the North Sea off the east coast of Scotland and northern England, they are known to partially feed on the sandeel, Ammodytes marinus. Breeding pairs share incubation and chick-rearing duties in nesting colonies (Ref. 95711). Displays dipping behavior (Ref. 356). They surface-feed by scooping prey from the water and carry it in their bills. Adults feed their chicks with regurgitated food (Ref. 95711).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Sterna hirundo may be found.

Habitat

Substrate
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.	Daunt, F., S. Wanless, P.R. Simon, H.J. Greenstreet, K.R. Hamer and M.P. Harris, 2008
Associations	colony-forming/symphorism;
Associated with
Association remarks	Form nesting colonies (Ref. 95711).
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.	Daunt, F., S. Wanless, P.R. Simon, H.J. Greenstreet, K.R. Hamer and M.P. Harris, 2008
Feeding habit	hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.	Daunt, F., S. Wanless, P.R. Simon, H.J. Greenstreet, K.R. Hamer and M.P. Harris, 2008

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition	4.43	0.78			Troph of recruits/juv..
From individual food items	4.30	0.92			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.	Safina, C., R.H. Wagner, D.A. Witting and K.J. Smith, 1990

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