During our winter they spend another summer just north of the Antarctic pack-ice. Distances covered by Arctic terns are astonishing and are more extensive than those of any other bird. Hardly any passage of Arctic terns has been noted by birders on the USA's east coast. Here the flights converge with travellers from northern Europe. Surprisingly, it has been calculated that the influence of tides and air currents the route to South America and ultimately Antarctica by way of Africa is much better.
Arctic terns are long-lived.
Many ringed ones have been re-trapped 10 or even 20 years later. Oldest examples attained 27 and even 34 years of age.