Migration. Present year-round in most of breeding range, scarcer northward in winter. On Atlantic Coast, some wander north of breeding range in late summer.

Do terns migrate?

Terns migrate in search of summer sunlight. Sunlight illuminates the ground and the ocean surface, so the birds can see fish or insects more clearly. Summer weather is also usually calmer at sea, allowing the birds to fly more easily. “It's really difficult to migrate this far, for this long.

Are terns migratory birds?

Migratory terns move to the coast after breeding, and most species winter near land, although some marine species, like the Aleutian tern, may wander far from land.