Tarapiroe / Black-fronted tern

Chlidonias albostriatus

Threatened - Nationally Endangered

Graceful and fast-flying, the black-fronted tern, or tarapiroe, is a striking native bird found only in Aotearoa. These elegant, grey-and-white terns are specialists of our braided rivers, darting low over water to catch insects on the wing. But their beauty belies a fragile existence: tarapiroe are nationally endangered, with numbers steadily declining.

Quick Facts:

• Nest only on braided riverbeds, making them highly vulnerable to floods, predators, and human disturbance.
• Recognisable by their black cap, forked tail, and sharply contrasting white underparts.
• Feed mainly on insects, caught mid-flight with impressive aerial agility.
• Conservationists often use decoy birds and recorded calls to help attract them to safer nesting sites.

Protecting tarapiroe means protecting the dynamic braided rivers they depend on – a uniquely New Zealand ecosystem in urgent need of care.

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