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Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaea
Holder of the longest migration of any animal, the Arctic Tern travels roughly 44,000 miles annually from Arctic breeding grounds to Antarctic seas and back. Pale grey and white with a blood-red bill and black cap, it experiences more daylight than any other creature. This lightweight seabird can live over 30 years of near-perpetual summer.
Fun Fact
Arctic Terns migrate from Arctic to Antarctic and back every year — roughly 44,000 miles — meaning they see more daylight than any other creature on Earth.
Attributes
TypeSeabird
Habitatcoastal, tundra
SizeSmall
Dietfish
FlightStandard
Colorswhite, gray, black
MigratoryYes
ContinentsNorth America, Europe, Asia, Antarctica
Nest Typescrape
ConservationLeast Concern
Difficulty: medium