Bird
Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaeaArctic Terns are graceful gray-and-white seabirds with red bills, black caps, long pointed wings, and deeply forked tails. They migrate between high northern breeding grounds and southern oceans, completing some of the longest annual journeys of any animal.
ternlong-distance migrantpolar seabird
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preySand eels, capelin, krill
Predators
- skuas
- large gulls
- Arctic foxes
ThreatsClimate-driven prey change, nest disturbance, introduced predators, pollution, and severe weather
HabitatsTundra coasts, islands, gravel bars, estuaries, open ocean, and polar waters
Life spanFrequently twenty years or more, with some banded birds exceeding thirty years
Classification
- OrderCharadriiformes
- FamilyLaridae
- GenusSterna
- SpeciesSterna paradisaea
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Nesting Arctic Terns can dive-peck the head and eyes; leave the colony immediately when adults alarm.
- Why it is dangerous
- Adults defending eggs or chicks may repeatedly strike an intruder's head with the bill and can injure exposed eyes.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Look for a graceful gray-and-white tern with a black cap, red bill and feet, and deeply forked tail.
- What to do
- Do not approach or swat at the birds; protect your eyes, turn back promptly, and leave the nesting area.
- What to notice
- Alarm calls, hovering, and repeated defensive dives indicate that an Arctic Tern nesting area is already too close.
- Support conservation
- Obey every closure, retreat along the approach route at once, and avoid publishing precise nest or colony coordinates.
Responsible observation
- Identify: Look for a red bill, black cap, and long forked tail streamers.
- Protect: Leave immediately if adults hover, call sharply, or begin defensive dives.
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