Short abstract from the book: The arctic tern is a common breeding bird in Denmark with
an estimated population of 8,000–9000 pairs. It is a common passage migrant, most frequent in July–August and
April–May.
In Denmark the first arctic tern was ringed in 1927, with
the majority ringed in the 1970s. The recovered birds have
been ringed in colonies all over Denmark in May–July.
The Danish arctic terns start their migration in July.
First, some birds disperse in many different directions and
several have been recovered in Norway, Sweden, England
and Scotland. After this period of dispersal the migration is
directed SW along the west coast of continental Europe. Three
young birds have been recovered in Ghana and Liberia in
August. In September all recoveries are from abroad. Thirty-three Danish arctic terns have been recovered in west and
southern Africa from Ghana to South Africa. One Danish
bird was recovered in the pack ice in Antarctica in February
and another was recovered on the west coast of Australia in
October.
Only a few birds have been recovered in spring, perhaps
because the birds migrate further from the coastline. The first
arctic terns were recovered in the breeding colonies in mid-April, though the majority not until May. Many birds do not
return to Denmark before they are three years old.
Although most arctic terns return to their hatching/breeding
colony, there are several examples of exchange between the different Danish colonies or with colonies in Germany, Sweden,
the Netherlands and England. Outside the breeding season, Denmark is mainly visited
by arctic terns from the countries around the Baltic as well
as from northwest Germany. Most of these foreign visitors
have been found in western Jutland but some also in inner
Danish waters, mainly birds from the Baltic Sea and northeast Germany. Ninety-five per cent of the foreign birds have
been found in May–August.
Read more about the species in the chapter from The Danish Bird Migration Atlashere
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