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Interesting animal species
Terns Sternidae
In the O¶więcim Basin three Tern species nest: the Common, Black and Whiskered ones; and the White-winged Tern nests only occasionally. The Common Tern breeds on islands on fish ponds and gravel pits. The other species forms breeding colonies amid lush aquatic vegetation. Terns are similar to Gulls, but have some different features, e.g. a slenderer body, a pointed bill and short legs. Terns are great flyers but poor walkers and, unlike Gulls, they are rather unwilling to swim. The Black Tern has uniform graphite-grey colouring with the head slightly darker than the rest of the body. The Whiskered Tern is a bit bigger; it is light grey on top and has a black "cap" on its head. The body is graphite black underneath and the whole is completed with a dark carmine bill and legs. The bird acquired its name because of a white field between the dark cap and the lower parts, which may remind one of whiskers - in this case white ones. The largest of the three species - the Common Tern - also has a black cap; besides its upper body is light grey and the underparts are white. During the courtship season, males offer fish to females, which the latter eagerly eat. Terns are great flyers and migrate long distances. The Black and Common Terns migrate along sea coasts and spend winter at the Atlantic shores of Africa, whereas the Whiskered Tern winters mainly in the Nile Delta. The Common Tern migrates the furthest; birds ringed as chicks near O¶więcim flew as far as Nigeria and the Republic of South Africa. The best place for watching Common Terns are fish ponds with artificial breeding platforms and gravel pits with islands. Whisered and Black Terns are most often seen on ponds covered with floating hearts, in the vicinity of Zator.
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