Ecology of Hydroprogne caspia
 
Main Ref. SAUP Database, 2006
Remarks Estuarine. Found on beach and shoreline (Ref. 116102). Plunge diver; dipping; coastal (Ref. 356). Low rate of mate retention; 75% of individuals change mates between years; attributed to tendency to change nesting localities annually. Nests solitarily or colonially. Variations in nest site quality and mate quality observed. Shifts breeding location and colony site when environment becomes unstable; as in cases of flooding, a factor reducing site fidelity. Possibly a pollutant-related behavioral response to PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) levels in the North American Great Lakes is lower nest-site tenacity of this species in the area. On the Colombia River, world's largest colony of Caspian Terns were questionably displaced in an attempt to protect hatchery-raised salmon molts on the river (Ref. 87784).

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 Hydroprogne caspia may be found.

Habitat

Substrate
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref. Schreiber, E.A. and J. Burger, 2001
Associations colony-forming/symphorism;
Associated with
Association remarks
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref. Karpouzi, V.S., 2005
Feeding habit hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref. Karpouzi, V.S., 2005

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method original sample unfished population Remark
Troph s.e. Troph s.e.
From diet composition 4.44 0.79 Troph of juv./adults.
From individual food items 4.29 0.94 Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref. Blaber, S.J.M., D.A. Milton, G.C. Smith and M.J. Farmer, 1995
(e.g. 9948)
(e.g. cnidaria)
Comments & Corrections
 
 
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