Arctic Tern
The Arctic Tern is a seabird of the tern family. The adult plumage is grey above with a black nape and crown and white cheeks. The upperwings are pale grey with the area near the wingtip being translucent. The tail is white and the underparts pale grey. The beak is dark red as are the short legs and webbed feet. Like most terns, the Arctic Tern has high aspect ratio wings and a tail with a deep fork and long tail streamers. Both sexes are similar in appearance. The winter plumage is similar but the crown is whiter and the bills are darker. Juveniles differ from adults having black bill and legs, "scaly" appearing wings and mantle with dark feather tips, dark carpal wing bar and short tail streamers. During their first summer, juveniles also have a whiter forecrown.
Whilst the Arctic Tern is similar to the Common and the Roseate Tern, its colouring, profile and call are slightly different. Compared to the Common Tern, it has a longer tail and mono-coloured bill, whilst the main differences from the Roseate Tern are its slightly darker colour and longer wings.
The Arctic Tern has a circumpolar breeding distribution covering the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Europe, Asia and north America. It is strongly migratory and sees 2 summers each year and more daylight than any other creature on the planet. It migrates along a convoluted route from its northern summer breeding grounds to the northern edge of the Antarctic coast for the southern summer and back again about 6 months later.
In the UK, breeding Arctic Terns can best be seen on islands such as the Farne Islands in Northumberland or Orkney and Shetland in northern Scotland where the greatest densities occur.
Recent studies have shown average annual roundtrip lengths of 25000 to 50000 miles depending on the route taken and weather and wind conditions. The Arctic Tern is a long-lived bird with many reaching 30 years of age and based on this average it will travel some 1.5 million miles during its lifetime. This is by far the longest migration known in the animal kingdom.
Breeding takes place in colonies on coasts, islands and occasionally inland on tundra near water. The Arctic Tern often forms mixed colonies with the Common Tern and Sandwich Tern. As it nests on the ground, the Arctic Tern is vulnerable to predation but it is one of the most aggressive terns and it is fiercely defensive of its nest and young. It will attack humans and large predators, usually striking the top or back of the head. Although it is too small to cause serious injury, it is still capable of drawing blood and repelling many raptorial birds and smaller mammalian predators such as foxes and cats. Other nesting birds, such as auks, often incidentally benefit from the protection provided by nesting in an area defended by Arctic Terns.
The diet of the Arctic Tern varies depending on location and time but it usually eats small fish or marine crustaceans by dipping down to the surface of the water to catch prey. While feeding, skuas, gulls and other tern species will often harass the birds and steal their food.
Date: 12th June 2014
Location: Inner Farne, Farne Islands, Northumberland
Whilst the Arctic Tern is similar to the Common and the Roseate Tern, its colouring, profile and call are slightly different. Compared to the Common Tern, it has a longer tail and mono-coloured bill, whilst the main differences from the Roseate Tern are its slightly darker colour and longer wings.
The Arctic Tern has a circumpolar breeding distribution covering the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Europe, Asia and north America. It is strongly migratory and sees 2 summers each year and more daylight than any other creature on the planet. It migrates along a convoluted route from its northern summer breeding grounds to the northern edge of the Antarctic coast for the southern summer and back again about 6 months later.
In the UK, breeding Arctic Terns can best be seen on islands such as the Farne Islands in Northumberland or Orkney and Shetland in northern Scotland where the greatest densities occur.
Recent studies have shown average annual roundtrip lengths of 25000 to 50000 miles depending on the route taken and weather and wind conditions. The Arctic Tern is a long-lived bird with many reaching 30 years of age and based on this average it will travel some 1.5 million miles during its lifetime. This is by far the longest migration known in the animal kingdom.
Breeding takes place in colonies on coasts, islands and occasionally inland on tundra near water. The Arctic Tern often forms mixed colonies with the Common Tern and Sandwich Tern. As it nests on the ground, the Arctic Tern is vulnerable to predation but it is one of the most aggressive terns and it is fiercely defensive of its nest and young. It will attack humans and large predators, usually striking the top or back of the head. Although it is too small to cause serious injury, it is still capable of drawing blood and repelling many raptorial birds and smaller mammalian predators such as foxes and cats. Other nesting birds, such as auks, often incidentally benefit from the protection provided by nesting in an area defended by Arctic Terns.
The diet of the Arctic Tern varies depending on location and time but it usually eats small fish or marine crustaceans by dipping down to the surface of the water to catch prey. While feeding, skuas, gulls and other tern species will often harass the birds and steal their food.
Date: 12th June 2014
Location: Inner Farne, Farne Islands, Northumberland
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