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Range (Temperate and tropical America)

Temperate and tropical America; breeds in the interior from Kansas and Illinois to Alaska; not known to breed on the Atlantic coast, where it is found from Prince Edward's Island southward as an irregular migrant, occurring at times in considerable numbers. Washington, irregular T. V., Sept. Long Island, irregular T. V. in varying numbers, Aug. and Sept. Sing Sing, A. V., Sept. Nest, of reeds, grasses, etc., rather closely woven, in grassy marshes or vegetation floating in a slough. Eggs, two to three, grayish olive-brown, rarely whitish, heavily spotted and blotched with chocolate markings, frequently confluent about the larger end, 1.35 × 98. This is an abundant species at favorable localities in the interior. "It seems not to subsist on fish at all, but chiefly on dragon flies and various aquatic insects. It finds both its home and its food in the marshes usually, but its powers of flight are so great that it may also be seen far out on the dry open plains, scouring the country for food at a distance of miles from its nesting ground..... "The bird may frequently be seen dashing about in a zigzag manner so swiftly, the eye can offer no explanation of its motive until, on the resumption of its ordinary flight, a large dragon fly is seen hanging from its bill...." (Thompson). The WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN (78. Hydrochelidon leucoptera), an Old World species, has been taken once in Wisconsin, and is recorded as "seen" on a lake near Winnipeg. 79. Anous stolidus (Linn.). NODDY. Ad. - Top of the head silvery whitish, lores black; rest of the plumage dark sooty brown; tail rounded, the central tail-feathers longest. Im. - Similar, but the top of the head is like the rest of the plumage and the silvery whitish appears as a line from the bill to above the eye. L., 15.00; W., 10-25; T., 5-90; B., 1.70.