Which bird flies from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back each year?

The Arctic tern flies from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back each year. It breeds across Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, then travels south to the Antarctic coast for the Southern Hemisphere’s summer before returning roughly six months later.

This journey gives the tern two summers each year and exposes it to more daylight than any other animal. Its route is not a straight line: birds follow ocean winds and productive feeding areas, creating a winding path across the Atlantic and other parts of the world’s oceans.

The Arctic tern is famous for having the longest regular migration known in the animal kingdom. Its route and distance vary by breeding location. Birds nesting in Iceland and Greenland may average about 70,900 kilometres per year, while birds from the Netherlands average about 48,700 kilometres. A tracked bird from England covered about 96,000 kilometres in ten months.

A common mix-up is confusing the Arctic tern with the common tern. The Arctic tern is smaller and more strongly associated with the extreme polar regions.