Menu Close

Where does the Arctic tern spend their summers and winters?

Where does the Arctic tern spend their summers and winters?

The Arctic tern has returned to its summer breeding grounds in Iceland after having spent the winter in the seas off the coast of Antarctica.

Why does the Arctic tern have an endless summer?

The Arctic tern’s migration ensures the terns are always living where there’s plenty of sunlight. When the Arctic is tilted toward the sun and experiences summer, the terns live there. When the seasons begin to change, the terns leave the Arctic and fly south.

Do arctic terns stop during migration?

Egevang was surprised to find that the birds often stop for a month in the open North Atlantic Ocean, probably to “fuel up” on fish and small crustaceans before setting off to cross the tropics. Arctic terns also follow a zigzagging route on their spring trips back to Greenland.

What is Arctic tern famous for?

Famous for their record-setting migration—the longest of any animal in the world—Arctic terns are projected to lose 20 to 50 percent of their habitat due to climate change.

Is the arctic Tern extinct?

Least Concern (Population decreasing)
Arctic tern/Conservation status

Where do arctic tern migrate?

Every year, arctic terns migrate from the Arctic Circle to the Antarctic Circle—a round-trip journey of about 30,000 kilometers (18,641 miles). The arctic tern is a water-loving bird that hatches during summer in the Arctic Circle, the northernmost part of the Northern Hemisphere.

Where does the arctic tern come from?

They breed on the coasts and tundra of Arctic and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America, then follow the sun and fair weather on their yearly journey to the Antarctic Circle—a trip that takes a couple of months. Arctic terns migrate in groups known as colonies.

What are the natural predators of the Arctic tern?

Arctic Tern nests are vulnerable to predation on eggs and young by foxes, skunks, dogs, cats, and avian predators. Adults generally escape ground predators but may be taken by owls or raptors; jaegers and gulls also prey on eggs and young and harass adults. The Arctic Terns prey are fish or marine crustaceans.

What type of animal is an Arctic tern?

Arctic tern. The Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) is a tern in the family Laridae. This bird has a circumpolar breeding distribution covering the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America (as far south as Brittany and Massachusetts).

What are some adaptations of the Arctic tern?

There are several adaptations that help Arctic terns survive in their habitat. They are excellent fliers and are able to fly long distances every year between the Arctic and the Antarctic. Terns spend most of their lives in the air except when nesting. The shape of the tern’s body makes it such a good flier.

Are Arctic terns carnivores?

Arctic terns are carnivores ( piscivores ).These birds feed upon small species of fish (sand launaes, sand eels and capelins) as well as crayfish.