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Arctic Tern
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea Inuktitut name - Imiqqutailat The Arctic tern is a small bird that makes the longest migration of any bird. This excellent flier spends most of its life flying. The Arctic Tern as an adult stands about 12 to 15 inches tall, weighs about ten ounces and has a wingspan of almost three feet. Males and females have similar plumage. Both the male and female Arctic Terns have a black mask. The terns feet are webbed, legs are short and colored red, having a round, white head with a dark cap and a long, forked tail. Its red beak is short and pointed. The bottom of its wings are colored a pale gray or ivory. The Arctic Tern's cheeks, front of it throat chest and stomach are white. It tail and rump are ivory The Arctic Tern's bottom of its wings are thin and crisp. The juvenile Arctic Tern has pale red to cinnamon colored legs and a black beak. The immature tern has plumage similar to the adult bird. The young terns attain full plumage in their third year of life. The Arctic Tern's breeding season is in late May and early June. It breeds within the Arctic Circle on the tundra. The Arctic Tern breeds from Maine to Alaska and areas further north. In Québec, it breeds in small numbers with large colonies along the shores of James Bay, Hudson Bay, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Often the Arctic Tern associates with the Common Tern. The Arctic Tern consists mostly of small fish, small invertebrates, like insects, sand hoppers, shrimp and krill. It flies over a promising food supply and then drops down into the water to catch its prey. When on land the Arctic Tern settles on small islands that have lichens and Crowberry growing. After mating the female lays between one and three cream colored, brown speckled eggs about 1 1/2 inches long. The pair of terns may have one or two clutches per year. The nest consists of a grassy area with a few small stones between bare rocks. She sits on the eggs for about three weeks and then the eggs hatch. Both parents care for the young terns and are fed a diet similar to the adults. About three to four weeks after hatching the young terns fledge. These social birds live in colonies. Just before the start of their migration, the usually noisy flock of terns become quiet, and they all begin to fly away south. Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Arctic Tern in Arctic Wildlife is owned by Fred J. Kane. Permission to republish Arctic Tern in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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