Arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea) are the ultimate sunseekers, getting more exposure to its warming rays than any other creature. To achieve this, of course, they have to travel a long way. Each August they leave their northern quarters and head south. Those from Arctic Canada and Greenland meet the groups from Arctic Russia in western Europe and travel down the African coast to the Cape of Good Hope. Some re-cross the Atlantic to join another group from northern Canada at Cape Horn. Then they all fly across the Southern Ocean to Antarctica to enjoy their second summer of the year with 24-hour daylight. Terns can be extremely aggressive at nesting time, 'dive-bombing' intruders and screaming raucously. Anyone coming a little bit too near will be punctured by their sharp red beaks. Other birds like to nest near them to benefit from their protection.
