atrophaneura horishana , the aurora swallowtail , is a species of butterfly from the family papilionidae that is found in taiwan .

the wingspan is 110 – 130 mm .

the wings are black .

the body has red hairs .

there is a large red patch on the underside of each hindwing .

the wing veins are bordered in white .

atrophaneura horishana

here you can see some photos of atrophaneura horishana ( lesser batwing ) ( male above / female below ) . atrophaneura horishana is a member of the
no one has contributed data records for atrophaneura horishana yet . learn how to contribute .
atrophaneura horishana ( matsumura , 1910 ) = atrophaneura horishanus ( matsumura , 1910 ) = papilio horishanus matsumura , 1910 = sauteri ( hayne , 1913 ) .
atrophaneura horishana is a butterfly from the australasia / indomalaya ( australia ) ecozone . you can observe this butterfly in taiwan .
the fore wings are black . the veins partly bordered by brown colour . the underside of atrophaneura horishana is very similar to the upside .
the hind wings of atrophaneura horishana are black . the edge is a little bit wavy . next to the body there is a light - brown area . the underside is black . a large red area dominates the wing . this red area contains two chains of black spots .
atrophaneura kuehni ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 83
atrophaneura kuehni kuehni ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 83
atrophaneura kuehni mesolamprus ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 83
atrophaneura ( troidini ) ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 83
atrophaneura zaleucus zaleucus ; huang & xue , 2004 , neue ent . nachr . 57 : ( 135 - 154 )
atrophaneura nox nox ; hirata & miyagawa , 2006 , trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 198
atrophaneura nox noctis ; hirata & miyagawa , 2006 , trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 198
atrophaneura nox erebus ; hirata & miyagawa , 2006 , trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 198
atrophaneura nox noctula ; hirata & miyagawa , 2006 , trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 198
atrophaneura nox nyx ; hirata & miyagawa , 2006 , trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 198
atrophaneura nox henricus ; hirata & miyagawa , 2006 , trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 198
atrophaneura nox banjermasina ; hirata & miyagawa , 2006 , trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 198
atrophaneura nox solokanus ; hirata & miyagawa , 2006 , trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 198
atrophaneura nox petronius ; hirata & miyagawa , 2006 , trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 198
atrophaneura nox smedleyi ; hirata & miyagawa , 2006 , trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 198
atrophaneura nox tungensis ; hirata & miyagawa , 2006 , trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 187
atrophaneura nox mirifica ; hirata & miyagawa , 2006 , trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 198
atrophaneura tungensis zin & leow , 1982 ; malay nat . j . 35 : ( 285 - 290 ) ; tl : sumatra
= atrophaneura varuna astorion ; hirata & miyagawa , 2006 , trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 188
. the first description was in 1910 by matsumura . the wingspan is about 11 – 13 cm . this butterfly is a member of the family papilionidae . atrophaneura horishana is black . the body has red hairs . on the underside of the hind wings there is large red area . the females are dark - brown or black . the veins are bordered by white colour .
atrophaneura semperi imogene schröder & treadaway , 1979 ; entom . z . frankf . a . m . 89 ( 22 ) : 250
atrophaneura semperi lizae schröder & treadaway , 1984 ; ent . zeitschr . frankf . a . m . 94 ( 23 ) : 358
atrophaneura mariae camarines schröder & treadaway , 1978 ; entom . z . frankf . a . m . 88 ( 24 ) : 270
atrophaneura semperi supernotatus ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 35 , f . 3
atrophaneura semperi baglantis ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 33 , f . 1
atrophaneura semperi sorsogona ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 35 , f . 1
atrophaneura semperi justini ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 35 , f . 2
atrophaneura dixoni ; [ bor ] , 42 ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 83
atrophaneura semperi melanotus ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 34 , f . 1 - 3
atrophaneura semperi imogene ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 32 , f . 2 - 3
atrophaneura semperi lizae ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 33 , f . 2 - 3
atrophaneura semperi justini page & treadaway , 2003 ; in bauer & frankenbach , butterflies of the world , suppl . 8 : ( 1 - 6 )
= atrophaneura nox noctula ; hirata & miyagawa , 2006 , trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 198 ( as papilio styx )
atrophaneura laos riley & godfrey , 1921 ; j . nat . hist . soc . siam 4 ( 3 ) : 168 , pl . 4 , f . 1
atrophaneura semperi semperi ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 30 , f . 1 , pl . 31 , f . 1
atrophaneura nox miekoae hirata & miyagawa , 2006 ; trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 197 , f . 49 - 52 ; tl : singkep is . , indonesia
atrophaneura semperi albofasciata ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 30 , f . 2 - 3 , pl . 31 , f . 2
atrophaneura nox hirokoae hirata & miyagawa , 2006 ; trans . lepid . soc . japan 57 ( 3 ) : 188 , f . 19 - 22 ; tl : tuangku i . , banyak is . , indonesia
atrophaneura semperi aphthonia ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 31 , f . 3 , pl . 32 , f . 1 , pl . 35 , f . 4
this species is endemic to taiwan and has no similar species around the surrounding areas . it is in general active at about 1000 - 2500 m in elevation and only abundant in primary forests , especially the taroko national park , shei - pa national park and yushan national park . the distributional boundary in southern taiwan could be lukuei area ( hamano , 1987 ) .
this species is still fairly common in some areas , but may be threatened by commercial collecting by local and alien collectors in accompany with rapid destruction of habitats by overuse of herbicides and road construction in highland of taiwan . for more information about conservation of this species see yang ( 1997 , 1998 ) and yang & lai ( 2000 ) .
the body ( abdomen ) is black . the thorax is black . the head and some parts of the underside of thorax and abdomen are red .
sex differences : the female covers the upper range of the wing - span . the basic colour of the female is brown . the veins are black . the hind wings have a salmon area .
the first description of this butterfly was in 1910 by matsumura . there are no subspecies .
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is an endemic species of taiwan . wingspan length 90 - 120mm . hind - wings without tail in both male and female . wings black with large pink area on ventral side of hind - wings and two rows of small black spots within ; female usually lighter in color . larvae feed on taiwanese birthwort ( aristolochia shimadai ( hayata ) ) and ryukyu birthwort ( a . liukiuensis ( hutusima ) ) . adults appear in july - september . distribution : throughout the mountains of altitude 1 , 000 - 2 , 500 m in taiwan . ( protected species ii : rare and valuable species )
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is little known , with no information available on status . it is regarded by d ' abrera as a subspecies of
häuser , christoph l . ; de jong , rienk ; lamas , gerardo ; robbins , robert k . ; smith , campbell ; vane - wright , richard i . ( 28 july 2005 ) .
d ' abrera , b . ( 1982 ) . butterflies of the oriental region . part i . papilionidae and pieridae . hill house , victoria , australia , xxxi + 244 pp .
jordan , k . , 1928 on the latreillei group of eastern papilios . novitates zoologicae . 34 : 159 - 172 , pl . 6 , 7 . online as pdf
collins , n . m . & morris , m . g . ( 1985 ) threatened swallowtail butterflies of the world . iucn . isbn 2 - 88032 - 603 - 6 pdf
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no one has contributed data records for byasa impediens yet . learn how to contribute .
himalayas ( mussoorie - sikkim ) , assam , n . burma . see [ maps ]
? papilio latreillei robus jordan , 1928 ; novit . zool . 34 : 161 ; tl : tonkin , ngai tio , 4800ft
papilio latreillei genestieri oberthür , 1918 ; bull . soc . ent . fr . 1918 : 187
byasa latreillei genestieri ; huang , 2003 , neue ent . nachr . 55 : 74 ( note )
china , himalayas ( w . kashmir - sikkim ) , assam , burma . see [ maps ]
papilio polyeuctes doubleday , 1842 ; zool . miscell . ( 2d ) : 74 ; tl : sylhet
papilio philoxenus hostilius fruhstorfer , 1908 ; ent . zs . 22 ( 18 ) : 72 ; tl : s . annam , plateau von lang - biang
papilio philoxenus ab . polyeuctes ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 265
papilio philoxenus gray , 1831 ; zool . miscell . ( 1 ) : 32 ( preocc . papilio philoxenus esper , [ 1780 ] ) ; tl : nepal
papilio philoxenus lama f . philoxenides fruhstorfer , 1908 ; ent . zs . 22 ( 18 ) : 72
papilio polyeuctes termessus ab . galbanus murayama & shimonoya , 1966 ; tyô to ga 15 ( 3 / 4 ) : 58 , f . 2 ; tl : poli
larva on aristolochia shimadai , a . liukiuensis , a . kankauensis , a . kaoi [ mrs ]
himalayas ( kashmir - sikkim ) , assam , burma . see [ maps ]
papilio dasarada moore , 1857 ; in horsfield & moore , cat . lep . ins . mus . east india coy 1 : 96 ; tl : cherra punji
byasa dasarada dasarada ; huang , 2001 , neue ent . nachr . 51 : 98 ( note )
papilio ravana moore , 1857 ; in horsfield & moore , cat . lep . ins . mus . east india coy 1 : 96
byasa dasarada ravana ; huang , 2001 , neue ent . nachr . 51 : 98 ( note )
papilio dasarada barata rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 168 ; tl : shan states ; tenasserim
byasa dasarada barata ; huang , 2001 , neue ent . nachr . 51 : 98 ( note )
= byasa hedistus ; huang , 2001 , neue ent . nachr . 51 : 99
= byasa dasarada ouvrardi oberthür , 1920 ; huang , 2003 , neue ent . nachr . 55 : 75
byasa dasarada ouvrardi ; [ mrs ] , 111 ; huang , 2003 , neue ent . nachr . 55 : 75 ( note )
= byasa dasarada melanura ; huang , 2001 , neue ent . nachr . 51 : 98
byasa dasarada melanura ; [ mrs ] , 111 ; huang , 2001 , neue ent . nachr . 51 : 98 ( note )
w . china , assam - s . shan states . see [ maps ]
= ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 263 ; huang , 2001 , neue ent . nachr . 51 : 99
byasa nevilli ; [ mrs ] , 110 ; huang , 2001 , neue ent . nachr . 51 : 99 ( note )
w . china , sikkim - bhutan , manipur , naga hills , chin hills . see [ maps ]
papilio alcinous nagasakii fruhstorfer , 1906 ; soc . ent . 21 ( 10 ) : 74 ; tl : nagasaki , kiushiu i .
1024x768 ( ~ 189kb ) larva oppadake , okinawa , ryukyu , japan , 7 - 93 , photo © s . shuichi haupt
1024x768 ( ~ 86kb ) oppadake , okinawa , japan , 7 - 93 , photo © s . shuichi haupt
papilio alcinous mencius f . confusus rothschild , 1895 ; novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 269 , pl . 6 , f . 12 - 20 , 36 - 38 ; tl : loo choo
papilio alcinous loochooanus rothschild , 1896 ; novit . zool . 3 ( 4 ) : 421 ; tl : okinawa , loo choo islands
papilio alcinous bradanus fruhstorfer , 1908 ; ent . zs . 22 ( 11 ) : 46 ; tl : ishigaki
byasa alcinous mansonensis ab . flaveolus murayama & shimonoya , 1966 ; tyô to ga 15 ( 3 / 4 ) : 58 , f . 3 ; tl : poli
larva on aristolochia shimadai , a . liukiuensis , a . kankauensis , a . elegans , a . debilis , a . kaempferii , a . onoei , a . tagala , cocculus trilobus , metaplexis chinensis [ mrs ]
papilio hedistus jordan , 1928 ; novit . zool . 34 : 165 , pl . 7 , f . 5 ; tl : yunnan , tali
byasa hedistus ; [ mrs ] , 111 ; huang , 2001 , neue ent . nachr . 51 : 99 ( note )
? tros plutonius ; [ bir ] , 378 ( as synomym of t . alcinous )
? pembertoni ( moore , 1902 ) ( papilio ) ; lepidoptera indica 5 : 170 , pl . 434 , f . 1
papilio mencius rhadinus jordan , 1928 ; novit . zool . 34 : 169 , pl . 7 , f . 3 - 4 ; tl : yunnan , tapintze
papilio alcinous mencius f . impediens rothschild , 1895 ; novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 269 , pl . 6 , f . 26 , 40 ; tl : ta - tsien - lu
papilio ( byasa ) polla de nicéville , 1897 ; j . bombay nat . hist . soc . 10 ( 4 ) : 633 ; tl : n . shan states , n . chin hills , 5000ft
papilio noctis hewitson , 1859 ; proc . zool . soc . lond . 1859 : 423 , pl . 66 , f . 5 - 6 ; tl : borneo
parides nox erebus ; [ bmp ] : 61 , pl . 2 , f . 2 , 6
1148x840 ( ~ 281kb ) upperside male thailand , phuket , the khao phra theo national park , the lower reaches of bang pae brook . 27th february 2009 , photo © oleg kosterin
papilio ( pangerana ) nyx de nicéville , 1897 ; ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 6 ) 20 ( 116 ) : 226 ; tl : bali
papilio noctis henricus fruhstorfer , 1899 ; berl . ent . zs . 43 ( 3 / 4 ) : 425
papilio nox banjermasinus fruhstorfer , 1899 ; berl . ent . zs . 43 ( 3 / 4 ) : 427 ; tl : s . borneo
papilio noctis solokanus fruhstorfer , 1903 ; dt . ent . z . iris 15 ( 2 ) : 310 ; tl : solok
nox niepeltiana ( strand , 1914 ) ( papilio ) ; int . ent . z . 8 : 103
papilio nox f . niepeltiana ; strand , 1916 , lepidoptera niepeltiana ( 2 ) : 22 , pl . 16 , f . 23
papilio erebus petronius fruhstorfer , 1901 ; soc . ent . 16 ( 12 ) : 89 ; tl : nias
papilio nox smedleyi jordan , 1937 ; novit . zool . 40 : 319 ; tl : mentawi
himalayas ( west to kumaon ) , assam , burma . see [ maps ]
parides varuna varuna ; [ bmp ] : 61 , pl . 2 , f . 3 , 7
= papilio varuna astorion ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 260
luchti ( roepke , 1935 ) ( papilio ) ; rhop . javanica 12 : pl . 7 , f . 5 - 6
papilio sycorax grose - smith , 1885 ; ent . mon . mag . 21 : 247 ; tl : sumatra
= papilio sycorax ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 256
parides sycorax egertoni ; [ bmp ] : 62 , pl . 2 , f . 1 , 5
papilio priapus boisduval , 1836 ; hist . nat . ins . , spec . gén . lépid . 1 : 190 ; tl : java
papilio dilutus fruhstorfer , 1895 ; ent . nachr . 21 ( 11 ) : 169 ; tl : e . java
papilio priapus dilutus ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 256
papilio hageni rogenhofer , 1889 ; verh . zool . - bot . ges . wien . 39 : 1 ; tl : sumatra
himalayas ( west to mussoorie ) , assam , burma . see [ maps ]
papilio aidoneus doubleday , 1845 ; ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 1 ) 16 ( 104 ) : 178 ; tl : himalaya
= papilio aidoneus ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 257
sauteri ( hayne , 1913 ) ( papilio ) ; supp . ent . 2 : 68 , pl . 2 ( ? heyne , 1913 )
papilio semperi var . melanotus staudinger , 1889 ; dt . ent . z . iris 2 ( 1 ) : 13 ; tl : palawan
? papilio semperi var . albofasciatus staudinger , 1895 ; dt . ent . z . iris 7 ( 2 ) : 349 ; tl : mindoro
papilio semperi supernotatus rothschild , 1895 ; novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 257 ; tl : bohol
papilio semperi baglantis rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 165 ; tl : negros
papilio semperi aphthonia rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 165 ; tl : mindanaeo
papilio kühni [ = kuehni ] honrath , 1886 ; berl . ent . z . 30 ( 2 ) : 294 , pl . 6 , f . 1 ; tl : tombugu , e . celebes
larva on thottea vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 83
papilio kuehni mesolamprus rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 165 ; tl : toli - toli , n . celebes
papilio dixoni grose - smith , 1900 ; ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 7 ) 6 ( 32 ) : 210 ; tl : bwool , celebes
papilio palu martin , 1912 ; dt . ent . z . iris 26 ( 3 ) : 164 ; tl : palu is .
losaria palu ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 83 , pl . 3 , f . 6
papilio doubledayi merguia tytler , 1939 ; j . bombay nat . hist . soc . 41 ( 2 ) : 236
pachliopta ( losaria ) coon doubledayi ; [ bmp ] : 62 , pl . 2 , f . 4
1108x792 ( ~ 215kb ) upperside female thailand , phuket , the khao phra theo national park , the lower reaches of bang pae brook . 27th february 2009 , photo © oleg kosterin
712x882 ( ~ 166kb ) male female thailand , phuket , the khao phra theo national park , a bamboo forest on a flat watershed between the headwaters of the bang pae and ton sai brooks . 19th february 2009 , photo © oleg kosterin
papilio doubledayi cacharensis ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 253
papilio doubledaii [ sic ] var . sambilanga doherty , 1886 ; j . asiat . soc . bengal 55 pt . ii ( 3 ) : 263 ; tl : great nicobar
papilio doubledayi sambilanga ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 254
papilio doubledayi var . delianus fruhstorfer , 1895 ; ent . nachr . 21 ( 12 / 13 ) : 196 ; tl : sumatra
papilio doubledayi delianus ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 254
papilio coon palembanganus rothschild , 1896 ; novit . zool . 3 ( 4 ) : 421 ; tl : upper musi r . , palembang district , sumatra
papilio coon patianus fruhstorfer , 1898 ; soc . ent . 12 ( 23 ) : 179 ; tl : n . java
papilio coon ab . patianus ; fruhstorfer , 1898 , berl . ent . zs . 42 ( 3 / 4 ) : 309
papilio coon insperatus joicey & talbot , 1921 ; bull . hill mus . 1 ( 1 ) : 168 , pl . 19 , f . 2 ; tl : hainan
papilio rhodifer butler , 1876 ; ent . mon . mag . 13 : 57 ; tl : andaman is .
larva on thottea tomentosa veenakumari & mohanraj , 1994 , j . lep . soc . 48 ( 2 ) : 113
papilio neptunus guérin - méneville , 1840 ; rev . zool . ( soc . cuvièr ) 3 ( 2 ) : 43 ; tl : mal . pen .
= papilio neptunus ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 255
parides ( losaria ) neptunus neptunus ; [ bmp ] : 63 , pl . 2 , f . 8
papilio neptunus var . fehri honrath , 1892 ; berl . ent . z . 36 ( 2 ) : 432 ; tl : nias
papilio neptunus fehri ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 255
? papilio neptunus ; kheil , 1884 , rhopalocera ins . nias : 36 , n . 138
papilio neptunus var . sumatrana hagen , 1894 ; dt . ent . z . iris 7 ( 1 ) : 21
papilio neptunus doris rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 165 ; tl : n . borneo
papilio neptunus padanganus rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 165 ; tl : west sumatra , padang ; padang sidempoean
papilio neptunus creber van eecke , 1914 ; notes leyden mus . 36 : 197 ; tl : sinabang ; sibigo
pachliopta neptunus dacasini schröder , 1976 ; ent . z . frankf . a . m . 86 ( 24 ) : 269
balignina neptunus dacasini ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 29 , f . 3 - 5
losaria neptunus siborangitana tsukada & nishiyama , 1980 ; in tsukada ( ed . ) , butts se asian islands 1 : 259 , pl . 52 , f . 3 - 4
pachliopta neptunus siborangitana ; moonen , 1998 , trans . lepid . soc . japan 49 ( 3 ) : 219
balignina neptunus matbai ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 6 - 8
sri lanka , india - c . china , riu kiu , sundaland - philippines , lesser sunda is . . see [ maps ]
? papilio aristolochiae aphrodite kalis , 1933 ; tijdschr . ent . 76 ( 1 - 2 ) : 74 ; tl : sabang
1047x773 ( ~ 65kb ) upperside tekek , tioman , malaysia , 12 - 96 , photo © s . shuichi haupt
larva on thottea tomentosa veenakumari & mohanraj , 1994 , j . lep . soc . 48 ( 2 ) : 117
papilio aristolochiae var . camorta moore , 1877 ; proc . zool . soc . lond . 1877 ( 3 ) : 592 ; tl : kamorta
papilio aristolochiae camorta ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 250
menelades ceylonica moore , [ 1881 ] ; lepid . ceylon 1 ( 4 ) : 151 , pl . 57 , f . 2a - b ; tl : ceylon
papilio aristolochiae ab . ceylonicus ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 249
papilio aristolochiae austrosundanus rothschild , 1895 ; novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 249 ; tl : sambawa
? papilio aristolochiae lombokensis fruhstorfer , 1896 ; soc . ent . 11 ( 13 ) : 108 ; tl : lombok
papilio aristolochiae antiphulus fruhstorfer , 1904 ; dt . ent . z . iris 16 ( 2 ) : 302 ; tl : jolo i .
papilio aristolochiae interpositus fruhstorfer , 1904 ; berl . ent . zs . 49 ( 1 / 2 ) : 197 ; tl : formosa
pachliopta aristolochiae interposita ; [ mrs ] , 119 ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 6 , pl . 17 , f . 1 - 2
larva on aristolochia shimadai , a . kankauensis , a . cucubaifolia , a . kaoi , a . elegans , a . tagala , a . liukiuensis [ mrs ]
papilio aristolochiae rhodopis rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 167 ; tl : loo choo is .
papilio aristolochiae asteris rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 167
pachliopta ( pachliopta ) aristolochiae asteris ; [ bmp ] : 63 , pl . 2 , f . 9 , gen . f . 3
papilio aristolochiae goniopeltis rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 167 ; tl : tenasserim , burma ; siam , . . .
papilio aristolochiae adaeus rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 167
papilio aristolochiae floresianus rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 167 ; tl : flores
papilio aristolochiae mamilius fruhstorfer , 1908 ; ent . zs . 22 ( 18 ) : 72 ; tl : engano
papilio aristolochiae balinus fruhstorfer , 1908 ; ent . zs . 22 ( 18 ) : 72 ; tl : bali
papilio aristolochiae balinus ; rothschild , 1915 , novit . zool . 22 ( 1 ) : 106
aristolochiae antissa ( jordan , 1908 ) ( papilio ) ; in seitz , grossschm . erde 9 : 39
papilio aristolochiae kameiros fruhstorfer , 1911 ; ent . rundschau 28 ( 23 ) : 178 ; tl : nias
papilio aristolochiae poseidippus fruhstorfer , 1911 ; ent . rundschau 28 ( 23 ) : 178 ; tl : basilan
papilio aristolochiae probus fruhstorfer , 1911 ; ent . rundschau 28 ( 23 ) : 178 ; tl : bawean
aristolochiae sawi ( evans , 1932 ) ( tros ) ; indian butterflies ( edn . 2 ) : 44 ; tl : nicobar i .
aristolochiae kondulana ( evans , 1932 ) ( tros ) ; indian butterflies ( edn . 2 ) : 45 ; tl : nicobar i .
papilio adamas zinken , 1831 ; nova acta physico - med . [ leop . carol . ] 15 ( 1 ) : 144 ; tl : java
pachliopta adamas ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 84
pachliopta adamas agricola ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 84
sumatra , nias , natuna is . , borneo , tanahdjampea . see [ maps ]
papilio antiphus fabricius , 1793 ; ent . syst . 3 ( 1 ) : 10 ; tl : india
pachliopta anthiphus acuta ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 6 , pl . 19 , f . 7 - 10 , pl . 20 , f . 1 - 3
= papilio aristolochiae acutus ab . periphus ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 251
pachliopta antiphus brevicauda ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 6 , pl . 20 , f . 4 - 7
pachliopta antiphus elioti ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 6 , pl . 20 , f . 8 - 10
papilio kotzebuea eschscholtz , 1821 ; in kotzebue , entdeck . reise süd - see 3 ( app . 5 ) : 202 , pl . 1 , f . 2a - b
pachliopta kotzebuea kotzebuea ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 6 , pl . 17 , f . 3 - 5
papilio ( menelaides ) aristolochiae var . philippus semper , 1891 ; reisen philipp . ( 6 ) : 269 , pl . 44 , f . 7 - 9 , pl . 45 , f . 3 - 4 , pl . 46 , f . 1 ; tl : leyte , panaon , siargao , camiguin , mindanao
pachliopta kotzebuea philippus ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 6 , pl . 19 , f . 1 - 6
pachliopta kotzebuea tindongana ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 6 , pl . 17 , f . 6 - 9
pachliopta kotzebuea mataconga ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 6 , pl . 17 , f . 10 - 12
philippines ( mindoro , marinduque , masbate , ticao , panay , negros , sibuyan is . )
papilio aristolochiae deseileus fruhstorfer , 1911 ; ent . rundschau 28 ( 23 ) : 178 ; tl : mindoro
pachliopta kotzebuea deseileus ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 6 , pl . 18 , f . 1 - 6
pachliopta kotzebuea bilara ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 6 , pl . 18 , f . 7 - 12
papilio atropos staudinger , 1888 ; corr . - bl . ent . ver . iris 1 ( 5 ) : 276 ; tl : palawan
pachliopta atropos ; [ bor ] , 34 ; [ ebw ] ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 27 , f . 1 - 3
papilio mariae semper , 1878 ; verh . ver . nat . unterh . hamburg 3 : 115
pachliopta mariae mariae ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 24 , f . 3 - 8 , pl . 25 , f . 3 , 5
papilio ( menelaides ) almae semper , 1891 ; reisen philipp . ( 6 ) : 270 , pl . 46 , f . 6 ; tl : polillo
pachliopta mariae almae ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 23 , f . 7 - 8 , pl . 24 , f . 1 - 2 , pl . 25 , f . 1
pachliopta mariae camarines ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 23 , f . 4 - 6
pachliopta strandi strandi ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 21 , f . 4 - 8
pachliopta strandi marinduquensis ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 22 , f . 1 - 3
pachliopta strandi nuydaorum ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 22 , f . 4 - 5
pachliopta strandi splendida ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 22 , f . 6 - 8
pachliopta strandi elizabethi ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 23 , f . 1 - 3
pachliopta phlegon ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 21 , f . 1 - 3
philippines ( c . philippines , bohol , cebu , dinagar , s . leyte , mindanao , panaon , samar , siargao ) . see [ maps ]
pachliopta leytensis ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 25 , f . 2 , 4 , 6 , pl . 26 , f . 1 - 8
papilio schadenbergi semper , 1891 ; reisen philipp . ( 6 ) : 269 , pl . 44 , f . 1 , pl . 45 , f . 5 ; tl : nw . luzon , babuyanes
pachliopta schadenbergi schadenbergi ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 27 , f . 4 - 8
papilio ( menelaides ) schadenbergi var . micholitzi semper , 1891 ; reisen philipp . ( 6 ) : 269 , pl . 44 , f . 2 , pl . 45 , f . 6 ; tl : ne . luzon
pachliopta schadenbergi micholitzi ; page & treadaway , 2003 , butterflies of the world , 17 : 7 , pl . 28 , f . 1 - 8 , pl . 29 , f . 1 - 2
papilio liris velificatus fruhstorfer , 1908 ; int . ent . zs . 2 ( 8 ) : 50 ; tl : roma i . , e of wetter
papilio aberrans butler , 1883 ; proc . zool . soc . lond . 1883 : 369 ; tl : larat
papilio liris aberrans ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 236
papilio liris senescens ; rothschild , 1895 , novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 236
papilio liris wetterensis rothschild , 1895 ; novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 236 ; tl : wetter
papilio liris pallidus rothschild , 1895 ; novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 236 ; tl : letti
? papilio liris savuanus rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 165 ; tl : savu
papilio polydorus voluptitus fruhstorfer , 1916 ; archiv naturg . 81 a ( 11 ) : 76 ; tl : ?
larva on aristolochia elegans , a . tagala , aristolochia thozetii , a . spp . , a . deltantha ? k . l . & l . e . dunn , 1991 , review austr . butts . ( 1 - 4 ) : ( 120 - 140 )
papilio polydorus godartianus ab . plagiatus rothschild , 1895 ; novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 241 ; tl : fergusson
papilio leodamas wallace , 1865 ; trans . linn . soc . lond . 25 ( 1 ) : 43 ; tl : new guinea , mysol
papilio polydaemon mathew , 1887 ; trans . ent . soc . lond . 1887 ( 1 ) : 48 ; tl : ugi , solomon is .
menelaides thessalia swinhoe , 1893 ; ann . mag . nat . hist . ( 6 ) 12 ( 70 ) : 258 ; tl : key is .
papilio polydorus tenimberensis rothschild , 1895 ; novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 239 ; tl : tenimber islands
papilio polydorus queenslandicus rothschild , 1895 ; novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 240 ; tl : queensland
papilio polydorus septentrionalis rothschild , 1895 ; novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 240 ; tl : halmahera
papilio polydorus novobritannicus rothschild , 1895 ; novit . zool . 2 ( 3 ) : 242 ; tl : new britain
papilio polydorus dampierensis hagen , 1897 ; jarhb . nass . ver . nat . 50 : 50 ; tl : dampier island
papilio polydorus var . utuanensis ribbe , 1898 ; dt . ent . z . iris 11 ( 1 ) : 68 ; tl : new ireland ; duke of york island
papilio polydorus aignanus rothschild , 1898 ; novit . zool . 5 ( 2 ) : 216 ; tl : st . aignan , louisiade archipelago
papilio polydorus kajelanus fruhstorfer , 1899 ; berl . ent . zs . 43 ( 3 / 4 ) : 421 ; tl : buru
papilio polydorus asinius fruhstorfer , 1904 ; ent . meddel . 2 ( 5 / 6 ) : 305 ; tl : waigiu
papilio polydorus varus fruhstorfer , 1906 ; ent . zs . 20 ( 2 ) : 9 ; tl : aru
papilio polydorus orinomus rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 166 ; tl : upper aroa r . , british new guinea
papilio polydorus meforanus rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 166 ; tl : mefor , geelwink bay
papilio polydorus humboldti rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 166 ; tl : humboldt bay , dutch new guinea
papilio polydorus aphnitis fruhstorfer , 1913 ; ent . rundschau 30 ( 23 ) : 133 ; tl : goodenough i .
papilio polydorus aphnits [ sic , recte aphnitis ] ; fruhstorfer , 1916 , archiv naturg . 81 a ( 11 ) : 76 ( note )
papilio polydorus lascarus fruhstorfer , 1913 ; ent . rundschau 30 ( 23 ) : 133 ; tl : finschhafen
? papilo polydorus phalces rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 167 ; tl : d ' entrecasteaux is . , trobriand ; fergusson i .
papilio polydorus vulcanicus rothschild , 1915 ; novit . zool . 22 ( 2 ) : 193 ; tl : vulcan island
papilio polydorus alboplagatus joicey & talbot , 1922 ; bull . hill mus . 1 ( 2 ) : 320 ; tl : sula is .
polydorus manus ( talbot , 1932 ) ( papilio ) ; bull . hill . mus . 4 : 155 ; tl : admiralty is .
polydorus auster ( van eecke , 1915 ) ( papilio ) ; nova guinea 13 ( 1 ) : 56 , pl . 2 , f . 2 , 2a
papilio polydorus auster ; fruhstorfer , 1916 , archiv naturg . 81 a ( 11 ) : 76 ( note )
papilio polydorus ceramites fruhstorfer , 1916 ; archiv naturg . 81 a ( 11 ) : 75 ; tl : kapaur
papilio polydorus schoutensis joicey & talbot , 1924 ; bull . hill mus . 1 ( 3 ) : 565 ; tl : schouten is .
papilio polydorus wangaarensis joicey & talbot , 1924 ; bull . hill mus . 1 ( 3 ) : 566 ; tl : wangaar r . , s . geelvink bay
papilio pandiyana moore , 1881 ; trans . ent . soc . lond . 1881 ( 3 ) : 313 ; tl : trevandrum
pachlioptera pandiyana ; [ bow ] : pl . 132 , f . 14 ( text )
papilio jophon gray , [ 1853 ] ; cat . lep . ins . coll . brit . mus . 1 ( papilionidae ) : 10 , pl . 4 , f . 4 ; tl : ceylon
papilio polyphontes lingonus fruhstorfer , 1908 ; int . ent . zs . 2 ( 8 ) : 49 ; tl : talaut
pachliopta polyphontes ; [ bor ] , 30 ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 84
larva on aristolochia vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 83
pachliopta polyphontes polyphontes ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 84
pachliopta polyphontes rosea ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 84
? papilio polyphontes pedias rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 166 ; tl : sulla is , mangola ; bessi
pachliopta polyphontes aipytos ; vane - wright & de jong , 2003 , zool . verh . leiden 343 : 84
? papilio polyphontes ithacus rothschild , 1908 ; novit . zool . 15 ( 1 ) : 166 ; tl : n . moluccas , halmahera ; morty ; ternate ; batjan
papilio polyhontes var . bugius ney , 1911 ; ent . zs . 24 : 252 ; tl : s . celebes
bengal , s . bihar , orissa , s . india . see [ maps ]
papilio hector heroicus fruhstorfer , 1908 ; int . ent . zs . 2 ( 8 ) : 49 ; tl : ceylon
papilio ( pharmacophagus ) koannania matsumura , 1908 ; ent . zs . 22 ( 13 ) : 54 ; tl : formosa ( shinoha , kanshirei )
[ ² ] this may require parentheses or not . i don ' t have the necessary information for this taxon .
list of lepidoptera collected by mr . h . o . forbes in the islands of timor laut
on a collection of lepidoptera made at manipur and on the borders of assam by dr . george watt
the butterflies of the malay peninsula . fourth edition revised by j . n . eliot with plates by bernard d ' abrera
naturalist ' s repository , or miscellany of exotic natural history exhibiting . . specimens of foreign birds , insects , shells , & c .
a list of the collections of diurnal lepidoptera made by mr . lowe in borneo , with descriptions of new species
review of australian butterflies : distribution , life history and taxonomy . pushlished by authors , melbourne
studies on indo - australian lepidoptera . ii . the rhopalocera , collected by the third new guinea expedition . résultats de l ' expedition scientifique néerlandaise à la nouvelle guinée en 1912 et 1913 sous les auspices de a . franssen herderschee
list of the lepidopterous insects collected in tavoy and in siam during 1884 - 1885 by the indian museum collector under c . e . pitman , esq . , c . i . e . . , chief superintendent of telegraphs . ( 2 ) , rhopalocera
lepidoptera nova a dr . carolo semper in insulis philippinis collecta diagnosibus . ( 1 )
species lepidopterum , hucusque descriptae vel iconibus expressae , in seriem systematicam digestae 1 . papilionidae
catalogue of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the british museum . part 1 . papilionidae . [ 1853 jan ] ,
1852
( 1902 ) , : ( ragadia - argyronympha - hypocysta ) : 1 - 6 , pl . [ 1 ] ( 1895 ) , [ 2 ]
lépidoptères nouveaux découverts aux indes - orientales , par m . adolphe delessert et décrits par m . guérin - méneville
illustrations of new species of exotic butterflies selected chiefly from the collections of w . wilson saunders and william c . hewitson .
report of h . huang ' s 2000 expedition to se . tibet for rhopalocera
neue schmetterlinge der insenkten - sammlung des königl . zoologischen musei der universität zu berlin
systema naturae per regna tria naturae , secundum clases , ordines , genera , species , cum characteribus , differentiis , symonymis , locis . tomis i . 10th edition
a catalogue of the lepidopterous insects in the museum of the hon . east - india company in horsfield & moore ,
a list of the lepidopterous insects collected by mr . ossian limborg in upper tenasserim , with descriptions of new species
list of the lepidoptera collected by the rev . j . h . hocking , chiefly in the kangra discrict , n . w hiamalaya ; with descriptions of new genera and species
list of the lepidoptera of mergui and its archipelago collected for the trustees of the indian museum , calcutta , by dr john anderson f . r . s . , superintendent of the museum
lepidoptera indica . rhopalocera . family nymphalidae . sub - family nymphalinae ( continued ) , groups melitaeina and eurytelina . sub - families acraeinae , pseudergolinae , calinaginae , and libytheinae . family riodinidae . sub - family nemeobiinae . family papilionidae . sub - famlies parnassiinae , thaidinae , leptocircinae , and papilionae
some formosan butterflies of new species , new race , new aberrant forms or little known species and forms . [ in japanese ]
espèces nouvelles de lépidopterès recueillis en chine par m . l ' abbé a . david / lépidoptères nouveaux de la chine
on the lepidoptera in the tring museum sent by mr . a . s . meek from the admiralty islands , dampier and vulcan islands
zoological illustrations , or original figures and descriptions of new , rare or interesting animals , selected chiefly from the classes of ornithology , entomology , and conchology , and arranged according to their apparent affinities . second series
butterflies of the south east asia islands 1 . papilionidae in tsukada ( ed . ) ,
notes on some new and interesting butterflies from manipur and the naga hills . part 1 - 3
notice of two new species of papilio from penang , presented to the british museum by sir wm . morris
list of the lepidopterous insects collected in cachar by mr . j . wood - mason , part ii
zinken , 1831 beitrag zur insecten - fauna von java nova acta physico - med . [ leop . carol . ] 15 ( 1 ) : 129 - 194 , pl . 14 - 16
if you have corrections , comments or information to add into these pages , just send mail to markku savela keep in mind that the taxonomic information is copied from various sources , and may include many inaccuracies . expert help is welcome .


the arctic tern ( sterna paradisaea ) is a tern in the family laridae .

this bird has a circumpolar breeding distribution covering the arctic and sub-arctic regions of europe , asia , and north america ( as far south as brittany and massachusetts ) .

the species is strongly migratory , seeing two summers each year as it migrates along a convoluted route from its northern breeding grounds to the antarctic coast for the southern summer and back again about six months later .

recent studies have shown average annual roundtrip lengths of about 70,900 km ( 44,100 mi ) for birds nesting in iceland and greenland and c. 90,000 km ( 56,000 mi ) for birds nesting in the netherlands .

these are by far the longest migrations known in the animal kingdom .

the arctic tern flies as well as glides through the air .

it nests once every one to three years ( depending on its mating cycle ) ; once it has finished nesting it takes to the sky for another long southern migration .

arctic terns are medium-sized birds .

they have a length of 28 – 39 cm ( 11 – 15 in ) and a wingspan of 65 – 75 cm ( 26 – 30 in ) .

they are mainly grey and white plumaged , with a red/orangish beak and feet , white forehead , a black nape and crown ( streaked white ) , and white cheeks .

the grey mantle is 305 mm , and the scapulae are fringed brown , some tipped white .

the upper wing is grey with a white leading edge , and the collar is completely white , as is the rump .

the deeply forked tail is whitish , with grey outer webs .

arctic terns are long-lived birds , with many reaching fifteen to thirty years of age .

they eat mainly fish and small marine invertebrates .

the species is abundant , with an estimated one million individuals .

while the trend in the number of individuals in the species as a whole is not known , exploitation in the past has reduced this bird 's numbers in the southern reaches of its range .

the arctic tern was known as sea swallow describing their slender shape as they swoop over the water .

arctic tern

an arctic tern flies over sand island , greenland , in an undated picture .
figure 1 . breeding distribution of the arctic tern in north america and greenland .
the arctic tern is a small tern species with a sharp red bill , red legs , light grey back , whitish belly and a black cap . the arctic tern has a circumpolar distribution and is the most northern of the terns .
arctic tern adult on nest ; anchorage , ak ; june . ; photographer rick and nora bowers
description : the arctic tern is the only tern that breeds in spitsbergen , and it is thus unmistakable . female and male look the same to human eyes . being 35 cm long and weighing 100 - 125 g , the arctic tern is a relatively small bird .
the study was partly funded by the bbc programme springwatch , which will feature the arctic tern migration on tuesday 7 june .
the arctic tern nests on marshes , tundra lakes , and shorelines in the arctic , and south on the east coast to new england . from 1977 to 1995 , arctic terns nested on gravel islands and parking lots in everett ( snohomish county ) . during the non - breeding season , the arctic tern is highly pelagic , spending most of its time on the open ocean , far from land .
the arctic tern nidifies in the arctic belt of the northern hemisphere , getting down to southernmost latitudes only in england , along the coasts of the baltic sea and along the atlantic coasts of south - eastern canada .
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the arctic tern is generally thought to have the largest geographical range and largest individual home ranges of any species on earth . these birds live from pole to pole and undergo yearly migrations between the arctic and antarctica . throughout their lifetimes , arctic terns travel a greater total distance than almost any other species .
the tiny arctic tern makes the longest migration of any animal in the world , flying about two times farther than previously thought , a new study says .
the arctic tern breeds on open tundra , in boreal forests , or on rocky islands and beaches . it winters on the ice pack off of antarctica .
the arctic tern flies 30 - 40 feet over the water and then dives into the water to catch small fish and crustaceans . it also eats insects .
the arctic tern , which is a small bird , can fly a round trip from the arctic to the antarctic and back . this can be as long as twenty thousand miles per year . this is the longest migration for a bird
there are over 1 , 000 , 000 arctic terns in the world today .
range : the arctic tern breeds in a circumpolar distribution including arctic and sub - arctic parts of europe ( as far as brittany ) , asia and north america ( as far as massachusetts ) . it performs a long migration to spend the winter in the antarctic , by following a zigzagging route from continent to continent .
) . the notable absence of inland arctic studies is chiefly attributable to the wide dispersion of the species and thus the difficulties of assembling adequate samples , but the ferocity with which the arctic tern defends its nest could be a contributing factor .
in breeding areas , the arctic tern in north america has received less attention than the common tern , which has very similar behavior . comparative references are frequent in this account . extensive studies in europe have been summarized in three handbook accounts (
date teep vatsen , he so foony as allt tern utter peoples put tergetter .
figure 1 . distribution of the common tern in the north and central america .
hume , r . 1993 . the common tern . london : hamlyn . close
the migration route of the arctic tern is unique : there are 18 , 000 kilometres between the arctic breeding and the antarctic wintering areas . some birds can live up to 30 years and cover about one million kilometres during this time , which corresponds with roughly three times the distance between the earth and the moon ! as an adaptation to the length of the migration route , the arctic tern has another moulting rhythm and replaces its primaries , secondaries and tail feathers markedly quicker than the common tern .
a black tern ; any member of the genus hydrochelidon . see cut under hydrochelidon .
rust ( 1915 : 121 ) states that this tern is rare in kootenai county .
…similar to that of the common tern ( sterna hirundo ) , its frequent companion .
blodgett , b . 1999 . massachusetts tern inventory , 1999 . ms , 11pp .
in the arctic tern this limit is well passed and at times is really impressive . the tern attacks all intruders who endanger the safety of its territory , regardless the size and the aggressiveness of the predator but at times it exceeds without any reason and inexplicably .
distribution / migrations : the arctic tern has a circumpolar distribution in the sub - and high arctic . it is the northernmost breeding tern species and the bird with the longest annual migration : the breeding sites in the north and the wintering sites as far south as coastal antarctica are up to 15 , 000 kilometres apart ! arctic terns return to their breeding sites in late may or early june and stay there until late august or early september .
☞ terns differ from gulls chiefly in their graceful form , in their weaker and more slender bills and feet , and their longer and more pointed wings . the tail is usually forked . most of the species are white with the back and wings pale gray , and often with a dark head . the common european tern ( sterna hirundo ) is found also in asia and america . among other american species are the arctic tern ( sterna paradisæa ) , the roseate tern ( sterna dougalli ) , the least tern ( sterna antillarum ) , the royal tern ( sterna maxima ) , and the sooty tern ( sterna fuliginosa ) .
bill pointed , somewhat tern - like ; central tail feathers much elongated ; chin feathered .
many lesser crested terns with a solitary sandwich tern clicked in kannur , kerala , india .
nesting habitats were scored according to probability of use . recently active arctic tern nesting sites were scored 1 . 0 ; island sites recently used by common terns ( and so offering potential for colonization by arctic terns ) were scored 0 . 5 . other sites historically used by arctic terns ( since 1985 , but no longer in use ) were scored 0 . 4 .
the grey rump is a useful flight identification feature distinguishing it from the related species . the elegant tern also differs in a slightly longer , slenderer bill , while chinese crested tern differs in a black tip to the bill and sandwich tern a black bill with a yellow tip .
tern .
oxford dictionary of rhymes . . retrieved july 09 , 2018 from urltoken urltoken
this is a medium - large tern , very similar in size and general appearance to its three very close relatives sandwich tern , elegant tern and chinese crested tern . the summer adult has a black cap , black legs and a long sharp orange bill . the upperwings , rump and central tail feathers are grey and the underparts white . the primary flight feathers darken during the summer . in winter , the forehead becomes white . the call is a loud grating noise like sandwich tern .
another very similar but easier to recognize species is the roseate tern or dougall’s ( sterna dougallii ) that has the sides slightly pinkish and the bill blackish . in some instances , the best help in the classification of the arctic stern is given by the location of the sighting . the more we are near to the polar icecaps and it is more probable that it is an arctic tern .
the arctic tern reaches the nidification sites by late may but also in full june and remains in the territory of reproduction delaying over time the departures depending on the latitudes , up to late september .
cullen , j . m . 1956 . a study of the behaviour of the arctic tern ( sterna macrura ) . d . phil . thesis , univ . oxford , oxford , uk . close
annual migration route of dutch arctic terns as discovered by geolocators ( fijn et al / ardea ) .
the arctic tern migrates more that twenty thousand miles each year on a round trip journey between the arctic and antarctic . populations that breed in the northeast actually do a circle of the atlantic by flying to northern europe , heading south along the african coast to antarctica and then following the american coastlines north .
breeding distribution of the arctic tern in north america and greenland . inland range is poorly documented . this species also breeds in europe and asia , and winters mainly around antarctica . see text for details .
like all thalasseus terns , lesser crested tern feeds by plunge - diving for fish , usually from saline environments . it usually dives directly , and not from the
stepped - hover
favoured by arctic tern . the offering of fish by the male to the female is part of the courtship display .
the bow and tern were made of hewn planks in a circular form , fastened with wooden pins .
the arctic tern nests on beaches , on the tundra close to the sea , and on islets and skerries along the coast within the arctic , where they are generally safe from terrestrial predators . they occupy near - shore waters as well as being pelagic outside the breeding season . the main food of the arctic tern is small fish ( predominantly polar cod ) , crustaceans , polychaetes and insects caught near the water surface . most of the prey is taken in relatively shallow water along the shore . birds breeding in the most northerly parts of the range , such as in svalbard , seem to be less dependent on fish and more on crustacean prey . predators entering the colony area are attacked furiously by the terns and other species such as the common eider , the long - tailed duck and the sabine’s gull seek protection by nesting in arctic tern colonies . the arctic fox , glaucous gull and arctic skua are important predators of arctic tern eggs and chicks and may have significant impacts on local breeding success . the nest - site fidelity of breeding terns depends to a great extent on their breeding success the previous breeding season .
practically , it is the arctic corresponding of the more usual common tern ( sterna hirundo ) very frequent in the temperate zones of the planet and with which it overlaps the areas in the points of contact .
arctic terns also follow a zigzagging route on their spring trips back to greenland . rather than flying straight up the middle of the atlantic , the birds hopscotch from antarctica to africa to south america to the arctic .
the arctic tern is a 40 cm long bird , with a weight of about 100 g and a wingspan of 75 cm , a measure that by itself is sufficient for understanding who it is facilitated in flight .
data depicting arctic tern nesting sites were obtained from the maine mdif & w seabird nesting island databases , from new hampshire audubon society ( diane deluca ) , and from massachusetts fisheries and wildlife ( brad blodgett ) .
during courtship , the male arctic tern will catch a small fish and fly as low as possible over a potential mate . if she notices him , she will join him in flight and they will mate soon after .
tern .
the columbia encyclopedia , 6th ed . . . retrieved july 09 , 2018 from urltoken urltoken
tern .
the oxford pocket dictionary of current english . . retrieved july 09 , 2018 from urltoken urltoken
tern .
dictionary of collective nouns and group terms . . retrieved july 09 , 2018 from urltoken urltoken
tern .
the concise oxford dictionary of english etymology . . retrieved july 09 , 2018 from urltoken urltoken
the cargo joe c21 combines tern ' s folding joe c21 with xtracycle ' s
freeradical classic
kit .
but the team used a tiny tracker developed by the british antarctic survey , which weighs just a twentieth of an ounce ( 1 . 4 grams ) —light enough for an arctic tern to carry on a band around its leg .
arctic terns live in large colonies . they have a number of social calls , including calls for self - identification .
what to look for to tell apart beautiful , long - winged arctic , common , and forster ' s terns .
tern .
oxford dictionary of rhymes . . encyclopedia . com . ( july 9 , 2018 ) . urltoken
there are two other orange - billed terns within the range of this species , royal tern and greater crested tern . both are much larger and stouter - billed ; royal also has a white rump and tail , while crested ( which shares the grey rump ) is darker overall above and has a yellower bill . see also orange - billed tern .
like all terns , the arctic tern gets most of its food from marine sources . they primarily eat small , schooling fishes and pelagic invertebrates , but they are known to take some terrestrial invertebrates and even berries near their nesting sites , when breeding . arctic terns are divers and feed by plunging into surface waters at high speeds and chasing their prey underwater .
the arctic tern or longtail tern ( sterna paradisaea – pontoppidan , 1763 ) by sure had nothing of imaginative at that time but centuries later , with the means made available by the modern technology , they understood that mr . pontoppidan had unconsciously classified a bird whose air capabilities would have left a mark in the naturalistic history , rightly like its imaginative animals .
a tiny bird from the farne islands off northumberland has clocked up the longest migration ever recorded . the arctic tern’s meandering journey to antarctica and back saw it clock up 59 , 650 miles , more than twice the circumference of the planet .
true long - distance migrants , some arctic terns migrate greater distances than any other birds , traveling from the high arctic to the antarctic and back every year . this migration is mostly completed well offshore , but occasionally birds are seen from shore .
since the birds often live 30 years or more , the researchers estimate that , over its lifetime , an arctic tern migrates about 1 . 5 million miles ( 2 . 4 million kilometers ) —equal to three trips to the moon and back .
harsh tee - ar or kip - kip - kip - tee - ar , higher pitched than call of common tern .
the eggs of the black tern are much smaller , and of a rich liver - brown , heavily blotched with black .
in the nonbreeding season , the arctic tern is one of just 4 or 5 bird species commonly encountered in the antarctic pack ice , but it is rarely seen by most visitors to the continent . its biology there has received little attention but may be the key to such a notable life style . an important feature is the rapid molt of flight feathers by adult arctic terns during this period . in adjacent areas are several similar species , particularly the resident antarctic tern ( s . vittata ) .
the arctic tern has a very large breeding range of 10 , 300 , 000 square kilometers . it breeds in tundra and in coastal habitats in northern europe , northern russia , alaska , parts of the northern united states , and canada . to reach its wintering waters in the southern oceans , it undertakes an incredible migration of at least 19 , 000 kilometers . the global population of the arctic tern is estimated at two million individuals , and this species has a conservation rating of least concern .
hatch , jeremy j . 2002 . arctic tern ( sterna paradisaea ) , version 2 . 0 . in the birds of north america ( p . g . rodewald , editor ) . cornell lab of ornithology , ithaca , new york , usa .
other popular names are : arctic tern in english ; küstenseeschwalbe in german ; charrán ártico in spanish ; sterne arctique in french ; andorinha - do - mar - árctica in portuguese ; sterna artica or sterna codalunga in italian and a nice kyokuajisashi in japanese .
calls and songs : sounds by xeno - canto the arctic tern utters nasal , grating “pee - airr” , and “kik” , also a shrill piping “tcheek” and rising “kee kee , keeyah” . the birds are very noisy at colonies and especially during the displays .
the arctic tern has swift and graceful flight . its distinctive silhouette is very elegant when crossing the blue sky . these birds are very agile when feeding , hovering and diving repeatedly . it is an excellent flier able to travel extremely long distances while migrating .
arctic terns are common , but their arctic tendencies make estimating population trends challenging . the north american waterbird conservation plan lists arctic tern as a species of high conservation concern , whereas partners in flight rates it an 11 out of 20 on the continental concern score , which means it is not on their watch list and is a species of low conservation concern . partners in flight estimates the global population at 3 million breeding birds . in the late nineteenth century arctic terns as well as common terns were targeted for the feather trade , which caused populations to decline . most populations recovered following the enactment of the migratory bird treaty act in 1918 . other potential threats to arctic terns include human disturbance at colonies , degradation of barrier beach and island nesting habitat , and reductions in fish stocks .
the arctic tern stands among the smallest terns , but is the most reckless and aggressive in defending the territory and the nest . this characteristic makes many other birds to unite to these colonies in order to take advantage of the defence created by this mutual aid .
habitat : the arctic tern breeds in colonies established on coasts with the nests made on shingle beaches or gravel ridges and rocks covered with lichens . but it can breed also far inland in tundra near water , barren fields , grassy meadows and pastures , and islands in lakes or coastal lagoons . during winter in the antarctic , the arctic tern is highly pelagic and can be seen from the open sea to the pack ice area . it often rests on flotsams . it moults during this period , and remains flightless for a time .
tern .
the columbia encyclopedia , 6th ed . . . encyclopedia . com . ( july 9 , 2018 ) . urltoken
tern .
the oxford pocket dictionary of current english . . encyclopedia . com . ( july 9 , 2018 ) . urltoken
tern .
dictionary of collective nouns and group terms . . encyclopedia . com . ( july 9 , 2018 ) . urltoken
tern .
the concise oxford dictionary of english etymology . . encyclopedia . com . ( july 9 , 2018 ) . urltoken
that ' s the sound of a tern , a small gull - like bird , bouncing off joel helander ' s hard hat .
baker n . e ( 1984 ) . lesser crested tern in bengazi , libya . bull . orn . soc . middle east .
: all - ireland tern survey in 1995 , and through breeding seabird surveys carried out every 15 - 20 years , the last was seabird 2000 , which was undertaken between 1998 & 2002 . arctic terns are also monitored annually at rockabill and lady ' s island lake .
egg and chick predation by gulls and invasive cats or other small mammals is the largest threat to nesting arctic terns . when not nesting , this species does not have any natural predators . the arctic tern is fairly common , and scientists consider it to be a species of least concern . historically , hunting reduced population size in some places , but as a whole the species is not at risk of extinction .
arctic tern : breeds on arctic tundra from aleutians , northern alaska & across northern canada and south to northern british columbia , northern manitoba , quebec , and maine . declining breeder in massachusetts . winters in antarctica . furthest migration of all birds : up to 22 , 000 miles round trip . they see more daylight than any creature since they are in both southern and northern hemispheres during periods of longest days .
the long migration of the arctic tern occurs every year from the arctic breeding grounds to the antarctic wintering areas . these birds may travel up to 70 , 000 kilometres each year . they follow a zigzagging route rather than a straight route in the middle of the atlantic ocean , from one continent to another . this strategy allows the bird to benefit from spiralling wing patterns and to avoid flying into the wind .
the arctic tern travels from pole to pole and back again every year . they don ' t fly in a straight line . they fly in a zig - zag pattern and may fly as many as 44 , 000 miles to each pol and back ! each fall , the arctic tern heads east , flying across the atlantic ocean . it continues south down the coasts of europe and africa , flying until it reaches the antarctic ocean . in the spring , it flies north up the coasts of south and north america until it reaches the arctic ocean . it hardly ever rests on its trip . it is almost constantly in flight or diving to the ocean for food . each part of the tern ' s trip takes about 90 days . it may spend more time in daylight than any other animal ! it leaves the arctic as the days start to get shorter in the northern hemisphere and travels to antarctica as the days are getting longer in the southern hemisphere .
arctic terns will travel an estimated 2 , 400 , 000 km in their lifetimes . that’s a trip to the moon 3 times over .
the arctic tern forages by flying slowly upward , hovering briefly , and dropping from the air to catch prey below the water ' s surface . they also steal food from other birds , startling them into dropping their catch by swooping at them . arctic terns are seldom seen resting directly on the water , even during their long migration . they may , however , be seen perched on floating logs and other debris .
small tern with a long , forked tail and pointed all gray wings . plunge dives for small fish , aquatic insects , and crustaceans .
: lady ' s island lake , near rosslare , in county wexford has up to 300 pairs . as well as other tern species .
the common tern lays its eggs amongst rough stones , where you would think that anything so fragile as an egg would easily get broken .
with its long tail streamers and general shape the arctic tern deserves the local name of ' sea swallow ' . appearing white with a black cap , it is largely coastal although it can be seen inland on migration . it depends on a healthy marine environment and some colonies have been affected by fish shortages . arctic terns are the ultimate long distance migrants - summer visitors to the uk and winter visitors to the antarctic .
because of their migratory patterns arctic terns get to see 2 summers every year . they see more daylight than any other animals in the world .
right before a colony of arctic terns take flight en masse they will grow silent . this moment of quiet is referred to as “dread . ”
last week ' s high water event at the lake is partially to blame for the early departure of the nesting arctic terns in the area .
hawksley , o . 1957 . ecology of a breeding population of arctic terns . bird - banding no . 28 : 57 - 92 . close
hawksley , o . 1957 . ecology of a breeding population of arctic terns . bird - banding 28 ( 2 ) : 57 - 92 .
the glaucous gulls ' plunderer , the skua , and its chastiser the bold tern , were also observed , as were a few barnacle geese .
the arctic tern performs elaborate courtship displays , starting with the “high - flight” , followed by the “fish - flight” . both sexes fly high in the air , alternating flapping flight with glides . this flight begins when the male offers a fish to the female before they take - off together .
they breed in the vicinity of settlements , such as near the camping site and near the shore of adventfjord in longyearbyen or inside ny ålesund . if you come to spitsbergen in the summer , you should know what you have to expect near arctic tern colonies ( see below ; miscellaneous ) .
the arctic tern is a small tern species with a sharp red bill , red legs , light grey back , whitish belly and a black cap . the tail is deeply forked , and the projected , outer tail - feathers extend well beyond the wing - tips when the bird is perched with folded wings . the legs are short and orange - red . the sexes look alike . adult birds have a length of 35 cm and weigh 100 - 125 g . the arctic tern strongly resembles the common tern s . hirundo , but differs from this species by having a uniformly deep red bill , shorter legs , longer tail feathers , greyer underparts and some minor differences in wing shape and colouring . in winter plumage the forehead and frontal part of the crown are white , and the bill and legs are darker . juveniles resemble the adult in winter plumage . the voice is a sharp
kree - errr
that has a rising inflection , while the call of the common tern is quite similar but has a downward inflection .
arctic terns can live for 15 to 30 years , meaning the the record - breaking tern could fly as far as 3m kilometres over its lifetime , the rough equivalent of four round trips to the moon . “we are just scratching the surface about this birds and its capabilities , ” said bevan .
tern , common name for a sea bird of the old and new worlds , smaller than the related gull . because of their graceful flight and their long pointed wings and forked tails , some terns are called sea swallows . they plunge headlong into the water to catch small fish . the arctic tern migrates from the arctic to the antarctic . american terns include the common , least , forster ' s , noddy , sooty , roseate , and royal terns , all of the genus sterna . terns are classified in the phylum chordata , subphylum vertebrata , class aves , order charadriiformes , family laridae .
both sexes defend the nest - site . the arctic tern attacks all intruders , even humans and large predators approaching the nest , by striking them on head or back . they nest in colonies of 5 to 25 pairs , but sometimes up to 300 pairs , but they may occasionally nest solitary .
protection / threats / status : the arctic tern is threatened by climate change , food resources availability , nest predators such as other seabirds , hedgehogs , introduced mustela vison and rats , human coastal developments and disturbances . the species is protected in some parts of the range such as in great britain . however , other type of threat like shooting for fun , especially in alaska ( but probably also elsewhere ) may affect the local populations . currently , the arctic tern is evaluated as least concern with a global population estimated at 2 , 000 , 000 individuals . but the overall trend is decreasing .
but this whole district , extending from longdon - upon - tern to aqualate , was once , there can be no doubt , covered with water .
the arctic tern is slightly smaller than the common tern with long , narrow wings and very short legs . in breeding plumage , the arctic tern has a light gray mantle and belly . the lower half of the face is white , and the upper sports a black cap without a crest . the tail is white , and usually projects beyond the wingtips when the bird is perched . the bill and legs are red . the adult does not show the black ' wedge ' in the outer flight feathers that is present on common terns , and instead shows a thin , black border on the trailing edge of the primaries , visible from below . in the non - breeding season , the arctic tern has a receding black cap , with a white forehead extending halfway back its head , and the legs and beak are black . juveniles have a light brown wash to their plumage , but this is mostly gone by august . at first , the young have orange feet , which then turn black . a dark bar is visible on juveniles ' wrists .
introduction : the arctic tern is a medium - sized seabird well known for its extremely long migration between its breeding areas in high arctic and its wintering grounds in antarctic where it remains for only three or four months . this type of migration allows the bird to avoid the full effect of the winter , and to benefit from the best moment for breeding or wintering in different hemispheres and during summer . to perform such migration , the arctic tern needs important food sources . it stops during a month to feed on fish and crustaceans in the north atlantic ocean , before to follow its route and cross the tropics . from a 2010 study , we learn that the bird follows meandering rather than straight routes , in order to take advantage of the spiralling wind patterns to avoid flying into the wind . the arctic tern may travel more than 70 , 000 kilometres every year , and it spends most of its life flying . it is rarely seen resting on the water , but during the long migration , it can be seen perched on floating debris or logs .
the arctic tern has a circumpolar distribution and is the most northern of the terns . it is a common breeding species on islands and coastal mainland areas in both the north pacific and north atlantic south to 50 °n , as well as in the high arctic . in the eastern atlantic it breeds in greenland and iceland , the british isles , the baltic sea , norway ( including svalbard ) and the barents sea region . the species is monotypic with little geographical variation . the arctic tern is common along the coast of most of svalbard , and it is found in greatest numbers on the western and northern parts of spitsbergen . it breeds either as single pairs or , more commonly , in colonies of up to several hundred pairs . many arctic terns spend winter in the pack ice of the antarctic ocean , but some probably remain in waters off western and southern africa . travelling this long distance twice a year , and in addition undertaking extensive movements in the antarctic ocean during the austral summer , means that the arctic tern has the longest migration of all birds . it returns to svalbard in the last days of may or at the beginning of june and leaves again between the end of august and the middle of september .
the differences distinguishing the arctic tern from the common tern ( sterna hirundo ) , are very few and hard to detect when in flight . only the experienced eye and many years of specific experience on this species , succeed in giving guarantee of a correct classification of the animal you are observing . there is a saying among ornithologists , when unable to classify exactly which of the two species they are facing , that identifies facetiously this difficulty . they say sneeringly that it is a
commic tern
, a mix between the comic or common stern , thus avoiding any risk of confusion and a possible bad figure .
arctic terns fly gracefully with rowing wingbeats over open waters , diving down to pick fish from or just below the water ' s surface . they tend to hover above foraging areas and nesting colonies more often than the similar common tern . they migrate over the atlantic and pacific oceans often far out to sea .
small , slender tern with angular wings that are silvery below . breeding adults have a thin red bill and a gray belly . note long forked tail .
arctic terns have one of the longest known migration routes of all animals . terns that nest in the netherlands can travel over 90 , 000km in a year .
short - legged tern with a long tail that extends beyond the wingtips while at rest on breeding adults . bill and legs are bright red on breeding adults .
the mediterranean race is a rare vagrant to europe , and has bred in pure or mixed pairs ( with sandwich tern ) in italy , spain and england .
the common tern ( s . hirundo ) is about 35 cm ( 14 inches ) long and has a black cap , red legs , and a red bill with a black tip . it breeds throughout northern temperate regions and winters on southern coasts . the least , or little , tern ( s . albifrons ) , under…
arctic terns breed across the arctic in treeless areas with little to no vegetation , in open boreal forests , and on islands and barrier beaches on the northeastern atlantic coast . they migrate over the atlantic and pacific oceans to food - rich waters around antarctica where they hang out on pack ice during the southern hemisphere ' s summer .
the arctic tern mates when it is 3 - 4 years old . the male courts the female by chasing her in the air and then offering her a fish . the male selects a breeding territory and aggressively protects it . the arctic tern nests in colonies . the female lays 1 - 3 eggs in a scrape on the ground that is lined with grass , gravel , or shells . the eggs are a speckled gray and white and blend in with the ground . both the male and the female incubate the eggs for 21 - 22 days . both parents bring the chicks small fish until the chicks fledge at 21 - 28 days old . male and female pairs mate for more than one year and may mate for life . the female has one brood a year . arctic terns can live to be 34 years old .
burger , j . and m . gochfeld . 1991e . the common tern : its breeding biology and social behavior . new york : columbia univ . press . close
arctic terns place their nests on the ground generally near water in areas with rocky or sandy ground . sometimes they place their nests on top of short grasses or mosses .
short - legged , slender tern . nonbreeding birds have a reduced black cap that extends back from the eye . the legs and bill are black during the nonbreeding season .
to appear in åland . from about 1800 bc , finds from the kiukainen culture ( : fi : kiukaisten kulttuuri ) start emerging . stone age åland . retrieved 29 august 2006 . cultural depictions the arctic tern has appeared on the postage stamps of several countries and dependent territories . territories include the åland islands , alderney , and faroe islands . countries
arctic terns don’t take straight routes from the north pole to the south and back again . they will detour long distances to find better feeding grounds or to avoid bad weather .
as in all seabirds , arctic terns nest on land . this species nests exclusively in the arctic but spends much of the rest of the year migrating across the globe . for each arctic winter , they migrate to antarctica for the southern hemisphere summer . this yearly migration means that not only does the species have a global range but each individual has a global home range . utilization of areas so geographically distant is very rare . arctic terns mate for life and form large breeding colonies where several pairs nest together . each arctic summer , these birds return to their preferred nesting areas , find their mates , and breed . during courtship and nesting , the males forage relatively close to the nest and provide the female with a steady diet of fish . after approximately a month of incubation , the egg hatches , and the parents continue to care for the young birds for about three more weeks . after that short time , the juveniles learn to feed themselves . arctic terns are sexually mature after three or four years and live to be at least 30 years old .
reproduction . arctic terns have circumpolar distribution , nesting primarily on small islands off northern europe , alaska , canada , and the western atlantic coast south to massachusetts . alternatively , they may nest miles inland from the sea , and feed in lakes and rivers ( hawksley 1957 ) . arctic terns winter in the antarctic and sub - antarctic ( street 1997 ) .
the present status of the arctic tern is poorly known , principally because of the remote nesting areas and wide dispersion of large fractions of the population . in southern new england , after recovery from nineteenth - century slaughter for the plume trade , peripheral populations have recently declined almost to extinction , while common terns have prospered . in greenland , large declines reported .
38 percent of the british breeding population of arctic terns occurs within special protection areas ( spas ) and so the species receives a level of protection at these sites ( 4 ) .
arctic terns forage by plunge - diving and surface - dipping for a wide variety of small fish , crustaceans , and other invertebrates , and also hawk for flying insects . in some locations , aquatic insects are the principal prey . where nesting with common terns ( sterna hirundo ) , they take more invertebrates than that species . as in other arctic species , the breeding season is short , and arctic terns spend only 2 to 3 months in their nesting areas . in the large circumpolar breeding range , many nest widely dispersed in the tundra or in small colonies on islands in lakes . others congregate at dense colonies on coastal islands . in the southern part of the breeding range in the atlantic ocean , arctic terns mingle with common terns . separating these 2 very similar species is a challenge in identification . in southern alaska , aleutian terns ( onychoprion aleuticus ) nest with arctic terns in some coastal colonies .
arctic tern recordings by michael j . andersen and gerrit vyn © cornell lab of ornithology macaulay library cornell lab of ornithology 159 sapsucker woods road ithaca new york 14850 united states of america tel : + 1 ( 607 ) 254 - 2404 fax : + 1 ( 607 ) 254 - 2439 email : macaulaylibrary @ urltoken website : www . birds . urltoken / macaulaylibrary
the arctic tern forages by hovering in mid - air while searching for prey , before to dive into the water for catching it . it may also dip down to the surface when a prey is swimming close to it . it can occasionally steal food from other birds . it flies at its victim and startles the bird , forcing it to regurgitate its preys .
but , i bless god , i am restored not only to life , but to a sense of the great mercy indulged me in the grant of a longer tern of trial .
the most evident differences with the common tern , always very difficult to see and verifiable only if observing at the same time the two species , can be summarized in three points .
the arctic tern ( sterna paradisaea ) is a long - distance migrant , making a staggering annual round - trip from its arctic or northern temperate breeding range to the antarctic where it spends winter ( 3 ) . this is probably the longest migration undertaken by any bird ( 2 ) and means that the arctic tern sees more sunlight each year than any other animal , as they experience a ' second summer ' by travelling south in winter ( 5 ) . they are very similar in appearance to the common tern ( sterna hirundo ) , so much so that birdwatchers call unidentified terns ' commic terns ' , an amalgamation of the two common names ( 6 ) . arctic terns are slightly smaller than common terns , and have a shorter bill and longer tail ( 2 ) . the rump is white , the underparts are darker and the wing lacks the dark wedge on the outer edge , which is a key identifying feature of common terns ( 6 ) . during summer , the bill becomes bright red and lacks the black tip seen in common terns ( 2 ) . long tail streamers also develop in summer ( 2 ) . a ' kee - arr ' alarm call and a piping ' pi - pi - pi - pi - pi ' call are produced ( 2 ) ( 6 ) .
the arctic stern is not very prolific seen that it lays only one to two eggs and quite rarely three , considered the adventurous life subject to risks to which it is usually subjected .
behaviour in the wild : the arctic tern feeds primarily on small fish , but it also takes crustaceans , molluscs and insects . it takes advantage of fish offal too . on land , it feeds on caterpillars and earth worms . it may occasionally feeds on berries in early spring . insects are taken on the breeding grounds , but the chicks are mainly fed on fish .
miniature new transmitters recently revealed that the 4 - ounce ( 113 - gram ) bird follows zigzagging routes between greenland and antarctica each year . in the process , the arctic tern racks up about 44 , 000 frequent flier miles ( 71 , 000 kilometers ) — edging out its archrival , the sooty shearwater , by roughly 4 , 000 miles ( 6 , 440 kilometers ) .
the arctic tern is circumpolar . that means it is found around the polar regions . in north america , it breeds across alaska and northern canada , south to northern british columbia , the hudson bay , and along the atlantic coast to massachusetts . it winters on the ice pack off of antarctica . it is also found in greenland , iceland , and northern europe and asia .
here it is , to nidify in the arctic summer . it eats small fishes with great mastery , diving from a ten of metres from the surface and immersing even totally © g . colombo
in the common tern the bill is of a darker red colour with the tip usually black . the legs are usually longer even if both when on the ground seem to be absent as much as they are short . the chest of the common tern is wholly candid . unluckily , there is nothing to do when they are in winter livery even if the habitats hardly do overlap .
. arctic terns feed on flying insects , ( hawksley 1957 ) , amphipods ( abraham and ankney 1984 ) , euphausids , and small fishes ( braune and gaskin 1982 ) , in mixed flocks with common and roseate terns ( andrews 1993 ) . arctic and common terns differ in the sizes of fish brought to their chicks and the specific foraging localities ( hopkins and wiley 1972 ) . arctic terns are principally deep water feeders , diving on schools of small fishes in typically oceanic waters ( teres 1995 ) but adapt readily to changes in food supply ( hawksley 1957 ) . boecker (
arctic terns are slender terns with long , angular wings and pointed wingtips . they have a small round head with a steep forehead and extremely short legs . breeding adults have a deeply forked tail .
becker , p . h . and j . - d . ludwigs . 2004 . sterna hirundo common tern . bwp update no . 6 ( 1 - 2 ) : 91 - 137 . close
like all migratory animals , the birds travel to take advantage of food that is available in particular seasons . arctic terns perform the longest migrations but another bird , the bar - tailed godwit , completes its marathon from the arctic to new zealand in eight days straight , without stopping to feed . whales undertake the longest mammal migrations and leatherback turtles and some dragonflies also travel over 9 , 321 miles .
the arctic tern is classified as least concern ( lc ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) . it is included in the birds of conservation concern amber list ( medium conservation concern ) ( 3 ) . receives general protection in great britain under the wildlife and countryside act and listed under annex i of the ec birds directive . listed as a species of european conservation concern ( 4 ) .
arctic terns breed in treeless areas with little to no ground cover , in open boreal forests , and on small islands and barrier beaches along the northern atlantic coast . they forage over streams , ponds , lakes , estuaries , and the open ocean . they tend to migrate offshore although some individuals may migrate overland . arctic terns winter on the edge of pack ice in antarctica during the southern hemisphere summer .
the arctic tern nourishes of small fishes it catches with great mastery diving from a ten of metres from the surface and immersing even totally . it fishes also touching gently the surface and seizing with precision small floating animals or crustaceans and almost invisible to the human eye . on the nidification sites , it chases also insects catching them on the fly or collects on the shoreline small crabs and other marine mollusks .
in particular , the log–concavity of ϕ1 leads to estimates of the spectral gap λ2 − λ1 which in tern describe the rate to equilibrium of the brownian motion conditioned to remain forever in the domain d .
in britain , the arctic tern breeds around the coast ( 4 ) in open sand or shingle habitats or in moorland and coastal heathland ( 3 ) . as they are vulnerable to predation , they often breed on offshore islands areas where there are no mammal predators such as rats and mink ( 3 ) . in winter this species stays out at sea , resting on floating objects and ice ( 3 ) .
) . both of these sites are near the southern edge of the species ' range . extensive studies north of the arctic circle ( in the white sea , northwestern russia , 67°n ) were also reported (
seldom seen from land south of their breeding grounds ( and now that there are probably no longer arctic terns breeding in washington ) , the best way to see them is from offshore boat trips during migration .
tern ' s sponsorship of the november 5 - 7 summit in los angeles will help bring together advocacy leaders who will work on an ambitious plan for the state ' s cycling future in 2012 and beyond .
among these migrants some will fly for short distances , others for very long ones but never any other bird will be able to add up the unbelievable distances that this small tern will cover during its life .
more than 2 , 000 pairs of arctic terns breed on the farne islands , where they feed on sand eels in the sea . the terns are not globally threatened but are thought to be declining in number .
living in the nearctic biogeographic province , the northern part of the new world . this includes greenland , the canadian arctic islands , and all of the north american as far south as the highlands of central mexico .