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Graceful and acrobatic, Common Terns nest in small colonies on Lake Champlain’s rocky islands—one of the few inland breeding populations in the Northeast. Although Common Terns can be found all over the world, they have been endangered in Vermont since 1989 due to low reproductive success. Facing threats from human disturbance, owl predation, and nesting competition from gulls and cormorants, their numbers dropped to an all-time low of 50 breeding pairs in 1988. 

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ has been working to conserve Lake Champlain’s Common Terns since 1997. Management strategies have included posting the islands to limit human disturbance, controlling gull and cormorant populations, and building "chick shelters" to protect the newly hatched chicks from predation. Three nesting islands have been designated as Critical Habitat in Vermont as well as an Important Bird Area. Every summer, ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ visits the tern islands with our Conservation Interns to monitor the colonies and band chicks. Thanks to these efforts, the number of adult Common Terns on Lake Champlain has increased by 300% since 1988! ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ continues to work to conserve this charismatic species and ensure that they thrive in Vermont for many generations.