Aug. 10, 2014 - Iceland - Arctic Terns

The only tern species likely to be found in Iceland is the Arctic Tern. It’s an elegant, medium-sized tern with a length of 15 inches. However, that includes a very long tail. This photo was taken on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

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This photo emphasizes the extremely short legs of the Arctic Tern. In breeding plumage, the legs, feet, and bill are bright red. In non-breeding plumage, the legs, feet, and bill are black. The eye is black and is well hidden by the feathers of its black cap. I took this photo in the town of Rik.

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In the air, Arctic Terns are fast and agile flyers. They have very long pointed wings and a wingspan of 31 inches. This tern was coming in for a landing near the town of Arnarstapi.

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Q: What bird has the longest migration route in the world? A: The Arctic Tern. With its aerodynamic shape and those long wings, this bird is built for flying. During our northern hemisphere summer it nests all around the North Pole as far south as the British Isles and Maine. It then flies south all the way to the Antarctic area and stays there for the southern hemisphere summer. Then it’s back to the Arctic again for nesting. I’ve seen estimates for that round trip of 22,000 to 25,000 miles. This photo was taken in the town of Borgarnes.

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During nesting season, Arctic Terns are ferocious defenders of their eggs and young. They have no fear of diving at any intruder, including humans. They have another weapon at their disposal; they drop whitewash bombs on their victims!

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I know this picture has some distracting structures in the background but I really like this view of an Arctic Tern. It was hovering over a pool in Reykjavik searching for small fish. I like seeing the concentration of the bird. I also like the way it uses those long, thin wings and spread tail to remain in place as it scans the water below.

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