Organism
Arctic Tern
TL;DR
Arctic terns migrate pole-to-pole twice per year - 44,000 miles annually, the longest migration of any animal.
Arctic terns migrate pole-to-pole twice per year - 44,000 miles annually, the longest migration of any animal. They experience more daylight than any animal (24-hour feeding windows in both Arctic and Antarctic summers). Over a 30-year lifespan, terns fly 1.3 million miles. Migration mortality is 5-10% annually vs 100% if they stayed during polar winter.
Notable Traits of Arctic Tern
- 44,000 miles annual migration (longest of any animal)
- 30-year lifespan = 1.3 million lifetime miles
- Experiences eternal summer (24-hour daylight)
- 5-10% migration mortality vs 100% if stayed