There are penguins in Antarctica, what is there in the Arctic?

Produced by: Science Popularization China

Author: Supercontinent Team

Producer: China Science Expo

When we think of birds in Antarctica, penguins come to mind. But what other birds are related to the Arctic?

The small Arctic overlord - the Arctic tern

In Antarctica, the most impressive animal is of course the penguin. In the Arctic, however, it is not the polar bear that commands respect, but the Arctic tern. Although penguins are friendly and naive, they look a bit silly; while the Arctic tern is small and exquisite, but it is strong and powerful.

The Arctic tern is the king of birds. It breeds in the Arctic but spends the winter in the Antarctic. It travels tens of thousands of kilometers between the two poles every year. Although humans have built airplanes, it is not easy to travel between the two poles.

Arctic tern in flight

(Photo source: Veer Gallery)

Because they always spend the polar summer, where the sun never sets, they may be the only creatures on Earth that live in perpetual light.

Arctic terns are not only capable of extraordinary flight, but also very aggressive and brave. Although they often quarrel and fight among their neighbors, they immediately put aside their differences and unite to fight against foreign invaders. In fact, they often gather in large groups of tens of thousands for collective defense. Minks and foxes like to steal Arctic tern eggs and chicks, but in front of such a powerful camp, they often shrink back and think twice before taking action. Not only these small animals, but even the most powerful polar bears in the Arctic are afraid of them.

Arctic Terns Flock

(Photo source: Veer Gallery)

The Arctic tern is also a graceful bird, with a long beak and feet that are bright red, as if carved from ruby. The top of the head is black, like a woolen hat. The feathers on the body are grayish white, and if you look at it from above, it blends into the color of the sea. The feathers on the body are all black, and it is difficult for fish in the sea to find them if you look up from below. Together with the pointed wings and long tail, it embodies the ingenious carving and perfect conception of nature.

Brave fighter - Golden Plover

In the Arctic, if we only consider the distance of flight, the runner-up is the golden plover, which gets its name from the golden spots on its back.

This bird is large in size and prefers dry weather. It often forms small groups and forages for worms, crustaceans, snails, and insects on rivers and seashores. It breeds on the west coast of Alaska and northeastern Siberia, and migrates to southern my country, eastern India, Indonesia, the Hawaiian Islands, and even Australia in winter.

Golden Plover on frozen ground

(Photo source: Veer Gallery)

They can fly continuously for more than 50 hours at a speed of about 90 kilometers per hour, but their weight is only reduced by 0.06 kilograms, which shows that their physical energy consumption is extremely small, so they have such amazing endurance. As for how they do this, it remains a mystery.

Golden Plover

(Photo source: Veer Gallery)

Like the Arctic tern, the golden plover is also a very brave bird. It will fight back resolutely against foxes or even hunters who dare to enter its territory, even at the cost of its life. Therefore, some birds build their nests near the territory of the golden plover for protection.

Sometimes, when natural enemies attack, in order to protect their young, golden plover will stretch out one wing and pretend that it is broken, in order to attract the enemy's attention. The natural enemy often believes it and chases after it desperately, but ends up going astray and being led far away, thus protecting its own territory. This shows that golden plover is also a very smart bird.

The wisdom of giving and taking - eider duck

Ducks are often considered to be clumsy animals, with mediocre survival skills except for swimming. However, perhaps due to the environment, the Arctic eider ducks seem to have a high IQ.

Eider ducks are large and plump, looking fuzzy, a result of their Arctic environment. In spring, male eider ducks have distinct black and white feathers, while female eider ducks have mostly brown feathers.

Male and female eider ducks

(Photo source: Veer Gallery)

In late summer, the Arctic islands are surrounded by water, making it difficult for arctic foxes to get in. At this time, eider ducks begin to build nests on the islands, usually under driftwood or a clump of seaweed to shelter from the wind.

The nesting area of ​​the eider duck is very close to the nest of a seagull. Surprisingly, this seagull is not friendly and is even a predator of eider duck eggs and chicks. So why do eider ducks still like to be neighbors with this seagull?

It turns out that the eider ducks rely on the power of the seagulls to drive away their more powerful enemies such as skuas and Arctic foxes, so that the seagulls can protect their nesting areas while also protecting the eider ducks from harm. The eider ducks' practice of sacrificing local interests in exchange for greater benefits is indeed very smart.

Conclusion

Many birds living in the northern hemisphere go to the Arctic to breed. The Arctic not only has vast grasslands and abundant food, but also a quiet and clean environment with little human interference. Perhaps for the bird kingdom, the Arctic is not only the center of its activities, but also their paradise and homeland.

Editor: Guo Yaxin