Birds
Antarctic Tern
Sterna vittata · also called Kerguelen tern
Breeding in a circumpolar ring around the Southern Ocean, right down to the Antarctic Peninsula itself, an Antarctic tern stays within the Southern Hemisphere year-round, plunge-diving for small fish close to the coastlines and islands it calls home.
Overview
The Antarctic tern, Sterna vittata, is a Least Concern seabird native to ocean, polar, and coastal habitat across islands and coastlines surrounding the Southern Ocean. Its circumpolar breeding distribution, year-round residence within the Southern Hemisphere, and aggressive nest defence make it one of the more widely distributed and behaviourally assertive seabirds found anywhere in the region.
A homebody among the great migrants
While its close relative the Arctic tern famously travels from pole to pole each year, the Antarctic tern takes the opposite approach entirely, remaining within the Southern Hemisphere for its whole life and proving that not every tern needs to cross the planet to thrive.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and generally stable across its circumpolar breeding range around the Southern Ocean.
Antarctic Tern: common questions
Does the Antarctic tern migrate between the poles like the Arctic tern?
No, this species remains within the Southern Hemisphere throughout the year rather than undertaking the pole-to-pole migration seen in the closely related Arctic tern.
Where does the Antarctic tern breed?
This species breeds in a circumpolar pattern across islands and coastlines surrounding the Southern Ocean, including parts of the Antarctic Peninsula itself rather than just a single region.
How does the Antarctic tern catch its food?
This species forages mainly by plunge-diving from the air into shallow coastal waters, targeting small fish and crustaceans near the surface close to shore.
Is the Antarctic tern aggressive toward intruders?
Yes, this species aggressively defends its nest against intruders, including much larger birds, using diving attacks to drive away potential threats that approach its breeding colony.