Range. - Eastern Hemisphere, its addition to American birds being made because of the accidental appearance of one bird in Wisconsin in 1873. They lest very abundantly among the lakes and marshes of southern Europe, placing their eggs the same as the American species, upon masses of decayed reeds and stalks. They lay three eggs which have a somewhat brighter appearance than the common Black Terns because of a somewhat lighter ground color.

Greenish buff.