In the marshes and wetlands, where the water meets the sky, The Forster’s Tern takes flight, with a keen and watchful eye. Its wings are long and slender, its beak is sharp and strong, And it hunts for fish and crustaceans, all day and all night long.

The Tern is a predator, a hunter of the sea, And it feeds on many creatures, from the small to the mighty. It swoops and dives and hovers, with grace and skill and speed, And it catches its prey with ease, fulfilling its every need.

The first link in the chain, is the tiny plankton bloom, That feeds the tiny creatures, that live in the water’s gloom. These creatures are the food, for the small and agile fish, That dart and swim and hide, in the water’s murky mist.

The fish are the next link, in the Forster’s Tern’s chain, And they are the main course, for this bird of wind and rain. The Tern will catch them one by one, with a swift and deadly strike, And it will feast upon their flesh, until it’s had its fill of life.

But the fish are not alone, in the Tern’s food chain, For there are other creatures, that also feel the bird’s pain. The crabs and shrimp and clams, that live upon the shore, Are also prey for the Tern, and they too will be no more.

The Tern is at the top, of this complex food chain, And it is the master hunter, of the marshes and the plain. But it is also a part, of a larger ecosystem, And it plays a vital role, in the balance of the system.

For without the Tern’s hunting, the fish would overpopulate, And the other creatures too, would suffer a similar fate. So the Forster’s Tern is key, to the health of the wetlands, And it is a vital link, in the food chain’s many strands.

So let us honor this bird, with its wings of white and black, And let us remember, the role it plays in the food chain’s track. For the Forster’s Tern is more, than just a bird of prey, It is a symbol of the balance, that we must strive to maintain.