The common tern is a type of bird which originally bred on gravel islands in large flowing rivers. Due to the regulating and straightening of rivers and their use as shipping lanes these breeding places were
lost, so the Common Tern is now one of the endangered species in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Using nesting rafts specially designed for this species, alternative structures have been offered on the excavation waters, providing a replacement habitat. With these rafts, a colony of 100 breeding pairs is to be established long-term on the waters of the Kalkar company grounds. Achieving this target will create the largest breeding colony of the species in North Rhine-Westphalia.
As part of the project species-specific breeding rafts will be set up, equipped with the species’ particular habitat requirements and the breeding colony and its success monitored. This is done by regular monitoring, logging the clutches, ringing the fledglings and determining the success of their flight from the nest.
