For the second consecutive year nesting by the arctic tern is more successful in many places around Iceland than in the previous decade.
The largest factor of successful nesting is a good supply of food and ornithologist Gunnar Þór Hallgrímsson told Stöð 2 news that the sand lance (a small fish species) stock seems to be rebounding in the sea around the terns’ breeding grounds, leading to more chicks surviving. Happy news indeed. See interview in Icelandic below.
The news segment was captured in Seltjarnarnes, the western tip of the Reykjavík's peninsula, where a small arctic tern colony and golfers share an area, mostly peacefully.
No other animals have a longer migratory pattern than the arctic terns. They spend the summers in the arctic raising their young and the winter in Antarctica, where it is summer during the arctic winter. The shortest distance between these areas being 19,000 km (12,000 mi).
The arctic tern's white body, black tipped wings and black cap, red bill and feet, along with its “pointy” look and distinctive flying style and loud calls make this small and beautiful bird immediately recognizable.
Read more: Brightly coloured roads expected to save the lives of young Arctic terns
The arctic tern is a protected species in Iceland and you should under no circumstances enter or disturb their colonies. You should also be careful around their colony for the sake of your own well being as these beautiful birds are very fierce creatures. Attempting to drive unwanted visitors away, a tern will dive shrieking towards intruders, sometimes also dropping bombs from their backside on unwelcome guests.
For the second consecutive year nesting by the arctic tern is more successful in many places around Iceland than in the previous decade.
The largest factor of successful nesting is a good supply of food and ornithologist Gunnar Þór Hallgrímsson told Stöð 2 news that the sand lance (a small fish species) stock seems to be rebounding in the sea around the terns’ breeding grounds, leading to more chicks surviving. Happy news indeed. See interview in Icelandic below.
The news segment was captured in Seltjarnarnes, the western tip of the Reykjavík's peninsula, where a small arctic tern colony and golfers share an area, mostly peacefully.
No other animals have a longer migratory pattern than the arctic terns. They spend the summers in the arctic raising their young and the winter in Antarctica, where it is summer during the arctic winter. The shortest distance between these areas being 19,000 km (12,000 mi).
The arctic tern's white body, black tipped wings and black cap, red bill and feet, along with its “pointy” look and distinctive flying style and loud calls make this small and beautiful bird immediately recognizable.
Read more: Brightly coloured roads expected to save the lives of young Arctic terns
The arctic tern is a protected species in Iceland and you should under no circumstances enter or disturb their colonies. You should also be careful around their colony for the sake of your own well being as these beautiful birds are very fierce creatures. Attempting to drive unwanted visitors away, a tern will dive shrieking towards intruders, sometimes also dropping bombs from their backside on unwelcome guests.
