The Arctic Tern is renowned for its extraordinary migratory journey, traveling from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back every year—a round trip of up to 44,000 miles. This makes it the longest known migration of any animal.

The Arctic Tern’s ability to navigate vast distances is aided by its exceptional memory and an innate ability to use the Earth’s magnetic field. These birds can live over 30 years, meaning that across their lifetime, they may travel the equivalent distance of several trips to the moon and back.