Photo by: Cindy Coughenour on 4/18/2008 at Falkner Island Connecticut. In photo: Chad Beemiller, Brian Salem (Term Employees) & the rehabilitated structure.

Roseate terns are found throughout many of the oceans around the world including the North Atlantic.  The North Atlantic temperate zone populations have declined since the 1950's to the point where in 1987 the Northeastern U.S. breeding population was declared endangered.  Currently the Northeastern U.S. breeding population is estimated at approximately 8,000-9,000 individuals.  The Northeastern U.S. population migrates from their breeding grounds, consisting of the south shore of Long Island north to Canada including Nova Scotia and Quebec, to wintering grounds off the coast of South America.

            Falkner Island was once the third largest roseate tern nesting colony of the Northeastern U.S. population.  However beginning in 1970s the number of roseate terns nesting at Falkner Island began declining.  The culprit for this decline was the black-crown night-heron that began to visit the island and feed on the young chicks and eggs.  The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and U.S. Geological Survey took a number of steps to protect the birds; however, raids by the herons continue to affect the population.  In 2006 at Stewart B. McKinney NWR in Conn. only 30% of the hatched tern chicks fledged successfully. On July 3, 2006 a heron entered the roseate tern colony and destroyed or took over 50 eggs and chicks. During the last two nesting seasons (2007 & 2008), refuge staff have worked to increase fledgling rate in the main colony to 81%.  

During the 2008 nesting period refuge staff monitored 32 roseate tern nests at Falkner Island.  This was the first year since the 1970s that there was not one documented incident of a roseate tern egg or chick being taken by herons. We contribute this to our increase predator monitoring which is preformed over the nesting terns.  Refuge staff were present on the island 24 hours, 7 days a week to conduct the monitoring activities.  This was the first year that staff members lived on the island 8 consecutive days at a time.  The longer stay allowed the refuge to lower its operational costs and increase the productivity of the roseate tern colony.  This would not have been possible without the generous support of the Faulkner Light Brigade (FLB) who provided funding, materials and labor to build the addition to the generator building.  The FLB is also assisting the refuge with other facility projects on the island to support the refuge and the Falkner Island open house. Refuge manager Rick Potvin, stated that without the FLB partnership we could not move our conservation mission forward and furthermore he believes the roseate terns of Falkner Island are most appreciative of FLB's efforts.