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Location:

Búðir, Iceland
Europe

Contributor

Karen Gulliver

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Sterna paradisaea
The Arctic Tern may appear unremarkable on the ground, but in the air, it is elegant, fearless and possesses great stamina. Birds nesting during Iceland’s summer will travel approximately 50,000 miles in the fall to nest in the Antarctic summer. Arctic terns mate for life and both sexes will defend the nest. To do so, the tern will first fly behind an intruder, emitting a clacking sound interspersed with screams. If that does not ward off the enemy, the tern will valiantly dive and peck the enemy—and will even take on humans.

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