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These terns annually perform spectacular migrations, every fall heading eastward across the Atlantic and down the west coasts of Europe and Africa to winter in the Antarctic Ocean. In spring they return north, following the East Coast of South and North America, a round-trip that can total 22,000 miles (35,000 kilometers). They see more daylight than any other living creature since they are in both the Arctic and Antarctic during the periods of longest days. During the northern winter, this species is more truly oceanic than its close relatives, feeding chiefly on small seagoing shrimp and other planktonic animals. The Arctic Tern's harsh, rasping, high-pitched cry makes a colony a noisy place. All members assemble to mob an intruder. The nests and eggs left unattended during an attack are so well camouflaged that a predator is not likely to find them. These terns attack so fiercely that human observers have to protect their heads when walking in a colony.

This map is made possible by the generous contribution of hemispheric weekly distribution data from eBird at the Cornell Lab, and a variety of hemispheric data sources for conservation challenges. Learn more

Conservation Challenges

This map is made possible by the generous contribution of hemispheric weekly distribution data from eBird at the Cornell Lab, and a variety of hemispheric data sources for conservation challenges.