The Arctic Tern and Migration
by Owen Borville
June 20, 2020
Biology
The arctic tern has the longest migration of any animal on Earth, migrating from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back. Its black cap, red beak and short legs are recognizable. This four ounce bird flies over 70,000 kilometers during its migration route between Greenland and Antarctica. During its lifetime of 30 years or more, the arctic tern flies more than 2.4 million kilometers. Tracking technologies have enabled scientists to follow the tern's route. The tern eats small fish, crustaceans, and insects during its migration. The tern tends to fly with the wind as opposed to against it and this affects its migration routes during the year. Sometimes the tern will fly by Africa and other times it will fly by South America while spending its summers in Antarctica. The tern will experience two summers per year, one in each hemisphere. The tern nests during its route on islands and coastal areas, along with rivers and lakes where they can catch their prey at the water surface. Terns often hang-glide during long flights to save energy. The ability to know where it is going on its migration along with the ability to use wind patterns to their advantage is part of its genetic makeup and a unique design by a powerful Designer.
by Owen Borville
June 20, 2020
Biology
The arctic tern has the longest migration of any animal on Earth, migrating from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back. Its black cap, red beak and short legs are recognizable. This four ounce bird flies over 70,000 kilometers during its migration route between Greenland and Antarctica. During its lifetime of 30 years or more, the arctic tern flies more than 2.4 million kilometers. Tracking technologies have enabled scientists to follow the tern's route. The tern eats small fish, crustaceans, and insects during its migration. The tern tends to fly with the wind as opposed to against it and this affects its migration routes during the year. Sometimes the tern will fly by Africa and other times it will fly by South America while spending its summers in Antarctica. The tern will experience two summers per year, one in each hemisphere. The tern nests during its route on islands and coastal areas, along with rivers and lakes where they can catch their prey at the water surface. Terns often hang-glide during long flights to save energy. The ability to know where it is going on its migration along with the ability to use wind patterns to their advantage is part of its genetic makeup and a unique design by a powerful Designer.
