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Arctic tern
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== Ecology and behaviour == [[File:Sterna paradisaea-pjt1.jpg|thumb|In flight near [[Arnarstapi]]|alt=One tern in flight near [[Arnarstapi]]]] The diet of the Arctic tern varies depending on location and time, but is usually [[carnivore|carnivorous]]. In most cases, it eats small [[fish]] or marine [[crustacean]]s.<ref name="RSPB"/><ref name="HBW"/> Fish species comprise the most important part of the diet, and account for more of the [[biomass]] consumed than any other food. Prey species are immature (1–2-year-old) shoaling species such as [[herring]], [[cod]], [[sandlance]]s, and [[capelin]].<ref name="Cramp"/> Among the marine crustaceans eaten are [[amphipod]]s, [[crab]]s and [[krill]]. Sometimes, these birds also eat [[mollusc]]s, marine worms, or [[berry|berries]], and on their northern breeding grounds, [[insect]]s.<ref name="Kaufman"/> Arctic terns sometimes dip down to the surface of the water to catch prey close to the surface. They may also chase insects in the air when breeding.<ref name="Kaufman"/> It is also thought that Arctic terns may, in spite of their small size, occasionally engage in [[kleptoparasitism]] by swooping at birds so as to startle them into releasing their catches.<ref name="Kaufman"/> Several species are targeted—conspecifics, other terns (like the common tern), and some [[auk]] and [[grebe]] species.<ref name="Hatch et al."/> While nesting, Arctic terns are vulnerable to predation by cats and other animals.<ref name="RSPB"/> Besides being a competitor for nesting sites, the larger [[American herring gull|herring gull]] steals eggs and hatchlings. Camouflaged eggs help prevent this, as do isolated nesting sites.<ref name="Firefly p 269"/> Scientists have experimented with bamboo canes erected around tern nests. Although they found fewer predation attempts in the caned areas than in the control areas, canes did not reduce the probability of predation success per attempt.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Boothby|first1=Claire|last2=Redfern|first2=Chris|last3=Schroeder|first3=Julia|date=2019|title=An evaluation of canes as a management technique to reduce predation by gulls of ground-nesting seabirds|journal=Ibis|language=en|volume=161|issue=2|pages=453–458|doi=10.1111/ibi.12702|issn=1474-919X|hdl=10044/1/66825|s2cid=92479448|hdl-access=free}}</ref> While feeding, [[skua]]s, gulls, and other tern species will often harass the birds and steal their food.<ref name="Firefly p 271"/> {{clear}}
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