Arctic Tern habitat

The Arctic tern breeds within latitudes from Massachusetts and Brittany, France, north to within 420 miles of the North Pole, at sites such as the northern tip of Greenland. During the summer breeding season, long hours of sunlight give the bird plenty of time to catch food.The tern nests mainly on coasts or offshore islands, flying short distances out to sea to catch fish for itself, its mate and chicks.

In Scandinavia and Canada, the Arctic tern sometimes follows rivers far inland, nesting up to 180 miles from the sea and feeding on fish in the lakes and rivers. After breeding and rearing its chicks, the Arctic tern spends the rest of the year at sea, flying a vast distance south to spend the southern summer (the northern winter) mainly around Antarctica. There, the tern rests on icebergs or floating pack ice.