The Arctic tern has a sleek and elegant body shape, perfectly adapted for long-distance flight. It features mostly light gray and white plumage, contrasted by a well-defined black cap during the breeding season. Its bill is slender and entirely bright red, without a black tip and its legs are also red. The tail, very long and deeply forked, extends well beyond the wings when at rest, making it an important identification feature.

Measuring about 13–14 inches in length with a wingspan of approximately 30–33 inches, the Arctic tern has long, narrow wings that provide exceptional aerodynamic efficiency, essential for its remarkable migrations between the Arctic and the Antarctic.

The Arctic tern primarily nests in the Arctic and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, along coasts, on islands and in coastal tundra areas of Europe, Asia and North America. After breeding, it undertakes a spectacular migration to the Southern Hemisphere, reaching the waters of the Antarctic where it spends the Northern Hemisphere winter.

The Arctic tern primarily feeds on small fish, supplemented by marine invertebrates. Its diet mainly includes small fish such as sand lance, juvenile herring, or capelin, as well as crustaceans and occasionally mollusks.

To catch its prey, it practices surface diving, spotting victims while hovering in the air before quickly plunging into the water. Opportunistic, its diet can vary depending on the region and availability of food, both in Arctic breeding areas and along its vast migratory routes.

Arctic terns breed in Arctic and subarctic regions, nesting directly on the ground, either on small coastal islands or on the mainland in open tundra areas. The pair builds a simple depression nest, sometimes lined with vegetation, shells, or small stones. The female usually lays 2 to 3 eggs, brownish and speckled, perfectly camouflaged to avoid predators.

Both parents take turns incubating the eggs for about three weeks and feeding the chicks as soon as they hatch. The young leave the nest after 3 to 4 weeks but often remain under parental protection for a few more days before flying out to the sea. To protect their nest and chicks, Arctic terns exhibit very aggressive behavior, attacking any intruders or predators that come too close.

The Arctic tern travels from one pole to the other every year, from the Arctic to the Antarctic, holding the record for the longest animal migration.

The arctic tern is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The arctic tern appears in the IUCN Red List since 2018 within the category Least Concern !