Length of body: 34–37 cm. Wingspan: 70–80 cm
The back and the upperwings are black. Waist, tail, belly, throat and cheeks are white. The crown and the neck are black and the bill is red.
It feeds with insects, invertebrates and fish. Nests in colonies on the ground. It’s found in isolated areas on the Black Sea coast (mainly in Burgas area), in the Danube, Maritsa, Arda, Struma and Ogosta basins. Migrates in Africa for the winter.
Threats: Drainage of the wetlands, water pollution, disturbance during breeding period, urbanizing of the nesting areas.
Conservation status in Bulgaria: protected
The artificial island in the area could increase the national population with 10%.
Management techniques used to increase the breeding numbers and reproductive success of the species include creating artificial nesting sites, vegetation management, enhancement of existing nesting habitat and predator control.
