The Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) is a native resident bird in the Niagara River corridor. It is designated as Threatened by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, (NYSDEC), and the long-term health of the Niagara River population is essential for the species's regional survival.
 

The Buffalo Audubon Society, teamed with the NYSDEC (Region 9 staff), received approvals to construct an approximate 1.35 acre, man-made gravel nesting island in the Niagara River adjacent to existing Strawberry Island. The area available for nesting will be approximately 14,400 square feet. Based on observed nest density, numbers of chicks per square feet, productivity and survivorship seen at other locations in the Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor, this island could accommodate up to 1,500 nests and potentially produce as many as 500 to 750 chicks per year. This project seeks to restore native emergent vegetation to the Niagara River system, which will ultimately increase foraging, nesting, spawning, and cover habitat for fish and wildlife.

The approximately $1.3M funding for this project comes from the New York Power Authority, Habitat Enhancement and Restoration Fund.
 
Once project completion is achieved in the Spring of 2021, the NYSDEC will partner with the Buffalo Audubon Society to provide long-term monitoring for the project. The NYSDEC plans to incorporate this site into their annual Common Tern monitoring program. In May of each year, NYSDEC biologists and staff will prepare the island for nesting; i.e., raking gravel, building chick shelters and placing driftwood habitat structure, along with nest count surveys and chick banding.
 
The Buffalo Audubon Society is exploring plans and funding to assist the NYSDEC by recruiting, training and sending a small group of students into the field with a tern team leader to monitor and assist through the nesting season. If you would like more information on this exciting project, visit the Buffalo Audubon Society website at www.buffaloaudubon.org.

Update, published July 2021

The first image below was just prior to the nesting area being filled with pea- gravel, 14,400 sq. ft. As of May 2021, 100 plus Common Tern active nests were counted by NYS Department of Environmental Conservation region 9 staff. The chick protective shelters provide significantly reduced predation losses.
 

Images courtesy of Buffalo Audubon Society.