Weather Was Right for Terns

First posted on 08-11-2008

All the rain the Ozarks bore earlier in the year certainly caused a number of problems from severe flooding to a thick crop of mosquitoes. But to the least tern, it means very suitable habitat for raising young.

The least tern is an endangered species that migrates to northwestern Oklahoma each summer in search of sandy streams, the birds’ nesting locale of choice. The timing of rains in prior years have either left creek beds too dry or water levels far too high for nesting. But this year, wildlife experts say conditions were perfect.

And those ideal conditions have led to a large population of young terns that will soon begin migrating back south for the fall and winter.

Every year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation,
Southwestern Power Administration, Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority, and the Corps of Engineers work together to make Oklahoma as hospitable as possible for terns. That task has not been easy of late, but was very successful this year.

Most of the birds will have left for their southern trek by September 1st, but there are still some opportunities to see the birds before then. One great place to see them is on Zink Island in Tulsa. Zink is a man-made structure set up to be suitable habitat for terns. The island lies in the middle of the Arkansas River as it winds through the city.

But if you miss the birds this year, don’t worry. They’ll migrate back to the area next spring and nest between May and August.