The Arctic tern migrates annually from the Arctic to Antarctica.
This small seabird breeds around the Arctic and sub-Arctic, then travels south to Antarctic waters for the Southern Hemisphere summer. It therefore experiences more daylight than any other animal during its yearly cycle. The round trip can exceed 40,000 kilometres, and some routes are much longer because birds do not fly in a simple straight line.
Arctic terns usually migrate along productive ocean routes, often taking different paths southward and northward. Their long, pointed wings and forked tails support efficient flight over enormous distances.
The Arctic tern is sometimes confused with other white seabirds, but its thin red bill, dark cap, pale body, and forked tail are distinctive. It does not spend the entire year at the North Pole or South Pole; it moves between breeding grounds in the north and feeding grounds in the Antarctic region.