Łukasz Ławicki, Tadeusz Stawarczyk
Ornis Polonica 2011, 52: 255–264
https://doi.org/10.12657/ornis.2011.4.2
Abstract: In 1930–2011, 45 records of the Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea (50 individuals) were made in the inland of Poland. Number of observations increased in subsequent decades: the years 1970. – 5 records, 1980. – 7, 1990. – 10, 2000. – 20. Over 60% of records come from southern Poland, mainly from Silesia (11 records) and Małopolska region (5), while on the north was the most frequently observed in the North Podlasie Lowland (11). Arctic Tern occurs in the inland of Poland in the period from the second decade of April to the first decade of November, with highest numbers in May and August. Most of the inland observations relate to adult birds (77%), occurring from April to August. Juveniles were recorded mainly from September to mid October. The majority of observations (91%) concerned single individuals. The largest group contained three individuals. Arctic Terns were most frequently observed on dam reservoirs (35%) and fishponds (28%). In the case of 62% observations Arctic Terns were observed in the company of other Lari species, mostly Common Tern S. hirundo. Two individuals of Arctic Tern, ringed in Denmark and Estonia, were subsequently found in the inland of Poland, 240 km and 880 km from the ringing site. Data from Poland and observations from Central and Western Europe (Besançon & Combrisson 2011), suggest the existence of inland migration route of the Arctic Tern, passing through the European continent.
