CLARIFICATION OF THE STATUS OF THE BLACK TERN (CHLIDONIAS-NIGER) IN THE NORTHWEST-TERRITORIES, CANADA

The status of the Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) in the Northwest Terri tories, Canada, was only assessed partially in the past. We present ne w observations, including confirmed and probable breeding records, and review past records that help clarify this status. We confirm that th is species nests on the north shore of Great Slave Lake. This represen ts the northernmost known limit of its Nearctic breeding range. Lack o f complete information on the NWT Black Tern population over the past 10-20 years precludes us from determining whether a decline is occurri ng as in other regions of North America. We discuss factors that may i nfluence the Black Tern's abundance and distribution in NWT in the fut ure.