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Species

Arctic Tern

Sterna paradisaea

The arctic tern breeds along the coastlines in the arctic, and overwinters in the antarctic, completing the longest migration amongs birds. As soon as their young fledge, they start their journey south, and during spring they move all the way back to the high north to breed.

Arctic terns are recognizable by their "brie" sound, and even moreso by their fearless behavior when defending their young. If an intruder comes too close, the entire colony will start diving towards the threat, even chasing away polar bears and foxes this way.

Also known as

  • Sterna paradisaea (Scientific)
  • Arctic Tern (English)
  • Rødnebbterne (Norwegian)

3 photos

0 blogs

1 collections

Classification

  • Class: Aves (Birds)
  • Order: Charadriiformes (Shorebirds)
  • Family: Laridae (Gulls, terns, and skimmers)
  • Genus: Sterna (Terns)
  • Species: Sterna paradisaea (Arctic Tern)

Conservation status

Global: Least Concern

Norway: Least Concern

Photos

Arctic tern in flight, against a bright blue background.
Arctic tern, white seabird with a long sharp red beak, flying right to left with a fish in his beak, with an orange colored valley in the abckground.
Two arctic terns in flight, in the middle of the frame, with green blurry mountains in the background. One of the terns is holding a fish in its beak. They are small white seabirds, lookig a bit like small gulls, but with a long sharp bright red beak, and a black top of the head.

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Collections (1)

Svalbard 2023

7 pictures

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