Have you ever complained about your long commute to work? Well, prepare to feel a bit sheepish because there’s a feathery friend out there who makes our travel woes look like a walk in the park. Today we’re taking a look at the Arctic tern, a bird that literally goes to the ends of the Earth on its migration path. Let’s take a closer look.
The Ultimate Globetrotter
The Arctic tern is unassuming in appearance, with its sleek white body, black cap, and red beak and legs. But, in fact, it’s an extreme athlete! Every year, the Arctic tern migrates from its breeding grounds in the Arctic Circle to the Antarctic and back again. This epic journey can span over 43,500 miles annually. To put that into perspective, that’s like flying around the circumference of the Earth almost twice!
@pavlinasudrich Felt alone in a lot of cities. Never felt alone in the bush. #alone #nature #birds #bird #arctictern #fishing #animals ♬ Je te laisserai des mots – Patrick Watson
Why the Long Journey?
You might wonder, why go through all that effort? Well, the Arctic tern has a pretty good reason: endless summer. By migrating from one pole to the other, the Arctic tern enjoys continuous daylight, basking in the summer of the northern and southern hemispheres. It allows the terns to access abundant food sources and optimal breeding conditions.
